Author in Chief: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote
Craig Fehrman
Avid Reader Press/An imprint of Simon & Schuster (February 2020)
What most people don’t know about the authors and readers among U.S. Presidents
I am amazed, frankly, that this book was not written before now.
According to Craig Fehrman, “This book tells the story of when, how, and why America’s presidents began writing [speeches, articles, and then] books — and why Americans have been so consistently drawn to reading them. The modern idea of an author (powerful and isolated, reaching a national audience) is a new one. So is the modern idea of a president (powerful and isolated, setting the national agenda). These ideas grew up together, but it took time.”
Probably from Thomas Jefferson’s “Notes on the State of Virginia” or “Declaration of Independence” or George Washington’s “Farewell Address” until Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” and “Second Inaugural Address”, ultimately to Barak Obama’s Dreams of My Father and The Audacity of Hope. Opinions vary.
It is published, ironically, when the current POTUS writes and reads only tweets. That’s not true of his predecessors, including Andrew Jackson. Fehrman notes that “At several points during his rise, Jackson relied on bookish tools to achieve his goals or brace his legacy.”
Fehrman then reveals that is greatest success as a writer] “was The Life of Andrew Jackson, a biography he authorized and then carefully oversaw. It was an odd and draining process, as the book generated a body count [of Jackson’s dueling opponents] to rival most Shakespearian tragedies. Yet Jackson refused to give up because, more than most nineteenth century politicians, he realized the power of literary persuasion.”
Fehrman carefully organizes and then presents his information and insights within four Parts, each of which serves as a transition through a series of presidencies. They are:
I George Washington to James Monroe
II John Quincy Adams to Ulysses S. Grant
III Rutherford B. Hayes to Franklin Delano Roosevelt
IV Harry S. Truman to Donald Trump
Contrary to his relentless claims, Trump did not write The Art of the Deal, nor has he even read it. He lent his name to it and split half of the advance from Random House with Tony Schwartz who did almost all of the work. “When he finally reviewed the manuscript, Trump made only a few changes. One was to cut a jab at Lee Iococca.” It seems certain that the Trump Presidential LIbrary — if there is one — will have at least one book available: A telephone directory.
These are among the passages of greatest interest to me, also listed to suggest the scope of Fehrman’s coverage:
o Thomas Jefferson (Pages 9-36, 67-71, and 73-75)
o Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography (42-42 and 60-61)
o John Adams (37-61)
o George Washington (66-67, 78-82, and 81-82))
o “Ghostwriting”: Washington, Grant, JFK, Truman, and Reagan (78-82, 150-151, 213-215, 246-150,262-265, 267-271, and 275-278)
o John Quincy Adams (92-97 and (104-105)
o Andrew Jackson (96-104)
o Abraham Lincoln (109-111 and 116-32)
o Ulysses S. Grant (140-156)
o Theodore Roosevelt (159-161, 165-172, 178-183, and 218-220)
o Woodrow Wilson (160-161 and 172-176)
o Calvin Coolidge (197-208)
o Harry S Truman (237-256)
o John F. Kennedy (257-278)
o Barak Obama (300-310, 319-321, and 334-335)
As indicated previously, I am amazed, frankly, that this book was not written before now.
Also, delighted and grateful to Craig Fehrman for his wide and deep research. Be sure to check out his brilliant annotated “Notes” (Pages 343-412) that follow two appendices: “A Presidential Reading List” and “An Essay on Sources and Methods.”
I have already begun to re-read my old favorites (that include Washington’s Farewell, LIncoln’s Address and Second Inaugural, and Grant’s Personal Memoirs) and plan to read others for the first time, including Jefferson’s Notes and Coolidge’s Autobiography.
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Appendix I, “A Presidential Reading List.”