“It’s still an amazing read today. You can really see how his mind works. He believed that books were powerful and important, and that’s why he worked so hard on a book of his own.”
2. Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs 1885
“This is probably the best presidential memoir, but it had very little impact on Grant’s legacy. If a book this good can’t shape his reputation, what hope does any presidential author have?”
3. Calvin Coolidge, The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge 1929
“It’s forgotten today, but it was a huge hit. It’s a model for writing a presidential memoir: Be personal, be specific, and talk about what it felt like to be President.”
4. Barack Obama, Dreams From My Father 1995
“The instinct would have been to write something kind of bland that appeals to lots of people. But he couldn’t help but write a book that was interesting and prickly and complicated.”
Worst
1. James Buchanan, Mr. Buchanan’s Administration on the Eve of the Rebellion 1866
“We should give Buchanan credit for being the first President to publish an autobiography in his lifetime, but it’s a terrible book.”
2. Warren G. Harding, Rededicating America 1920
“I would also like to draw special attention to Harding’s poetry [not included in this book]. I’ll give you a snippet: ‘I love your poise / of perfect thighs / when they hold me / in paradise.’ ”
3. Herbert Hoover, The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover 1951
“He ended up publishing volume after volume of this memoir, and I honestly think that he had more pages than readers.”
4. Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Hart Benton 1886
“He’s a very talented writer, a very deep reader, but was always in such a hurry that it impeded a lot of his books. The Benton biography is a good example of that.”
This article appears in the February 2020 issue of Washingtonian.
Don’t Miss Another Big Story—Get Our Weekend Newsletter
Our most popular stories of the week, sent every Saturday.
Nathan is an editorial fellow at Washingtonian. Originally from Nashville, he graduated from Columbia Journalism School with a master’s degree in 2019. His work has also appeared in SPIN, NYLON, and Nashville Lifestyles.
Which Presidents Could Actually Write?
A new book looks at the written work of everyone who’s occupied the White House.
We asked Craig Fehrman, author of the new book Author in Chief: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote, to pick the best and worst of the genre.
Best
1. Abraham Lincoln, Political Debates 1860
“It’s still an amazing read today. You can really see how his mind works. He believed that books were powerful and important, and that’s why he worked so hard on a book of his own.”
2. Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs 1885
“This is probably the best presidential memoir, but it had very little impact on Grant’s legacy. If a book this good can’t shape his reputation, what hope does any presidential author have?”
3. Calvin Coolidge, The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge 1929
“It’s forgotten today, but it was a huge hit. It’s a model for writing a presidential memoir: Be personal, be specific, and talk about what it felt like to be President.”
4. Barack Obama, Dreams From My Father 1995
“The instinct would have been to write something kind of bland that appeals to lots of people. But he couldn’t help but write a book that was interesting and prickly and complicated.”
Worst
1. James Buchanan, Mr. Buchanan’s Administration on the Eve of the Rebellion 1866
“We should give Buchanan credit for being the first President to publish an autobiography in his lifetime, but it’s a terrible book.”
2. Warren G. Harding, Rededicating America 1920
“I would also like to draw special attention to Harding’s poetry [not included in this book]. I’ll give you a snippet: ‘I love your poise / of perfect thighs / when they hold me / in paradise.’ ”
3. Herbert Hoover, The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover 1951
“He ended up publishing volume after volume of this memoir, and I honestly think that he had more pages than readers.”
4. Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Hart Benton 1886
“He’s a very talented writer, a very deep reader, but was always in such a hurry that it impeded a lot of his books. The Benton biography is a good example of that.”
This article appears in the February 2020 issue of Washingtonian.
Don’t Miss Another Big Story—Get Our Weekend Newsletter
Our most popular stories of the week, sent every Saturday.
Nathan is an editorial fellow at Washingtonian. Originally from Nashville, he graduated from Columbia Journalism School with a master’s degree in 2019. His work has also appeared in SPIN, NYLON, and Nashville Lifestyles.
Most Popular in News
President Obama Goes for a Walk, Stuns Tourists
DC Doesn’t Have a Bail Fund. Here’s How You Can Donate to Help Protesters.
A DC Resident Sheltered 100 Protesters Last Night. Here’s What Happened Inside His Home.
Alexandria’s Confederate Statue Has Been Removed
Military Vehicles Are Apparently Pouring Into DC and Downtown Looks Like a War Movie Right Now
Washingtonian Magazine
April 2020: A Field Guide to Washington Real Estate
View IssueSubscribe
Get Us on Social
Get Us on Social
Related
These Wonks Study the Dangers of Artificial Intelligence. To Get You to Pay Attention, They Wrote a Thriller.
Washingtonian Real Estate Virtual Happy Hour
Jason Reynolds Is the Bard of Black YA Fiction. Now He’s Written a Totally Different Kind of Book.
Hell Yes, Democrats Should Politicize Coronavirus
More from News
Morning Consult Launches a Fund to Help DC-Area Small Businesses Rebuild
He Took in Protesters Facing Arrest in DC. Then the Washington Post Reported That He Was Late Paying Rent.
DC Area’s New Covid-19 Infections Going Into Wednesday
Military Vehicles Are Apparently Pouring Into DC and Downtown Looks Like a War Movie Right Now
DC Police Again Turn to “Kettling,” a Controversial Crowd Control Technique
DC Police Made Over 300 Arrests Last Night
A DC Resident Sheltered 100 Protesters Last Night. Here’s What Happened Inside His Home.
DC Area’s New Covid-19 Infections Going Into Tuesday