U.S. Presidential Fiction

Currently there are five nonfiction books on the New York Times best seller list about current or former United States Presidents: Grant by Ron Chernow, Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff, Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger,  Let Trump be Trump by Corey R. Lewandowski,  The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump edited by Bandy X. Lee and one vice president Promise Me, Dad by Joe Biden. Americans love to read about their Presidents and other politicians! When you finish up the nonfiction titles give one of these fictionalized novels a try.

Lincoln in the Bardo  by George Saunders
Traces a  night of lonely mourning and reflection as experienced by the president after the death of his beloved eleven-year-old son Willie at the start of the Civil War.

Citizen Washington by William Martin
A fictionalized account of George Washington depicts a man full of deficiencies and limitations who overcame personal struggles to become our country's first president.

Thomas Jefferson Dreams of Sally Hemings by Stephen O'Connor
A historical novel inspired by the long term relationship between the third President and Sally Hemings details their first meetings in late-18th -century Paris and the shifting values that shaped their relationship.

Finale: a novel of the Reagan Years by Thomas Mellon
An exploration of the Reagan Administration shares insights into the 40th President's character and decisions while appraising key historical events and the influences of such figures as Margaret Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, and Richard Nixon.

Grant: a novel by Max Byrd
A fictional portrayal of Ulysses S. Grant captures a distinctive, flawed man who led the North to victory in the Civil War, was elected president, failed as both a farmer and businessman, and fought his final battle against cancer.

Memories of the Ford Administration by John Updike
A university professor includes information from his research on James Buchanan, the president preceding Lincoln from 1857 to 1861, while connecting his experiences during the Ford administration of 1974 to 1977.

Those who love: a biographical novel of Abigail and John Adams by Irving Stone
Abigail Smith marries John Adams and faces the country's fight for independence with him.

Politics and Presidents

So the debates have begun and everyone is gearing up for the upcoming election. The issues are many as are the opinions. Here are a few works of fiction with politics and presidents at the forefront, in no particular order. A little fantasy/science fiction, a little mystery and some historical fiction. Check one out.

Poisoned Politics by Maggie Sefton

The President's Shadow by Brad Meltzer

President's Daughter by Jack Higgins

President's Assassin by Brian Haig

The President's Daughter by Mariah Stewart

The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth 

The Next President by Joseph Flynn

The President's Nemesis by Michael Beres 

A President in Peril: A Snap Malek Mystery by Robert Goldsborough

All the President's Menus by Julie A.Hyzy

By Order of the President by W. E. B. Griffin

The Last President by John Barnes

The President's Lady: A Novel About Rachel and Andrew Jackson by Irving Stone

This Week in April History - Read More About It

A co-worker and I were talking about April 15th and how it was U.S. tax day - but so much more has happened on that day. Just take a look at these other April fifteenths in history. 

On April 15, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln died at 7:22 a.m. He had been assassinated the night before at Ford's Theater. It was a tragedy that had a great impact on our nation. For a fictional account of Lincoln's life try the classic book Lincoln: a novel by Gore Vidal. For a recent book on his cabinet try the award winning title Team of Rivals: the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Goodwin Kearns. And for a off-beat, but thoughtful title try Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell. Vowell manages to make connections about the players in the plot that will astound you.

On April 15, 1912 in the early morning the RMS Titanic, a British passenger liner, sank in the North Atlantic Ocean. This sailing tragedy has managed to change shipping and passenger standards that are still in use today. For a fictional account of the adventure try The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott. For an encompassing illustrated volume look at the title  Titanic: an Illustrated History by Donald Lynch.

 On a brighter note Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in Vinci, Italy. He was interested in the laws of science and nature, which greatly informed his work as a painter, sculptor, inventor and draftsman. His ideas and his body of work - which included "The Last Supper" and the "Mona Lisa" - have influenced countless artists and made da Vinci a leading light of the Italian Renaissance. Take a look at his brilliance in The Da Vinci Notebooks : a Dazzling Array of Da Vinci's Celebrated and Inspirational Inventions, Theories, and Observations. Or explore Ross King's non-fiction book Leonardo and the Last Supper.

Just a reminder that history is all around us. Find it at your library!

Founding Foodies

The Founding Foodies: How Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin Revolutionized American Cuisine By Dave DeWitt

This is a great and concise title on how our founding fathers really were the first foodies in the land. Jefferson and Washington were plantation owners and experimented with crops and vegetables in their particular states. Franklin spent time in France as the U.S. ambassador and definitely enjoyed himself while there! He also was a early supporter of corn. Jefferson used his time in France to discover new plants and vegetables and had some of them brought back to Monticello.

This book goes into detail about food (and drink) during colonial times and how the tavern really helped the growth of the democracy. There is also a lengthy section with recreated recipes. There is a very detailed appendix with historic colonial foodie sites to visit. And perhaps best of all - an extremely detailed bibliography for more books both on Washington, Jefferson and Franklin, but food and living during colonial times. A fun read.

For more on the founding fathers and food try:

Founding Gardeners: the Revolutionary Generation, Nature,and the Shaping of the American Nation by Andrea Wulf

or

A Rich Spot of Earth: Thomas Jefferson's Revolutionary Garden at Monticello by Peter J. Hatch

November 22, 1963

November 22, 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, one of the most significant and analyzed moments in recent American history.  Many questions still persist today: Who really shot JFK? Was there a conspiracy? How many shots rang out from the Texas School Book Depository? There are many nonfiction books attempting to answer these persistent questions, but novelists have used this tragedy to explore the countless theories and conspiracies as well. The result is a variety of fiction novels ranging from alternative histories to time travel. Enjoy.

Top down: a novel of the Kennedy assassination by James Lehrer (2013)
Ask not: a Nathan Heller thriller by Max Allan Collins (2013)
The third bullet by Stephen Hunter (2013)
11/22/63 by Stephen King (2011)
November 22, 1963: a novel by Adam Braver (2008)
The tears of autumn by Charles McCarry (2008)
The Berlin conspiracy: a novel by Tom Gabbay (2006)
The shot: a thriller by Philip Kerr
Where there's smoke by Mel McKinney (1999)
The legacy by Stephen Frey (1998)
The people v. Lee Harvey Oswald by Walt Brown (1992)
Libra by Don DeLilo (1988)

Honest Abe In Fiction

Since childhood, we've all heard the stories about Abraham Lincoln reading books by firelight and leading our country through the Civil War and as the Great Emancipator.  Now how about reading some fiction so as to gain some insight into the life and times of Honest Abe from outside the history books?  Here are a few titles to get you started.

Mr. Lincoln's Wars by Adam Braver.

A collection of interwoven tales, told from the sixteenth president's own perspective as well as from the viewpoints of those whose lives he impacted, explores the human side of Lincoln during the crucial events of his life.

Booth by David Robertson.
Details the life of John Surratt, the only surviving accessory to Lincoln's assassination, and how he became entangled with the enigmatic John Wilkes Booth, which ultimately led him to become involved in the deadly machinations of Booth and his co-conspirators.

The Emancipator's Wife by Barbara Hambly.
In 1865, in the wake of her husband's assassination, Mary Todd Lincoln struggles to cope amid the animosity and confusion that surrounds her, in a historical novel that captures the saga of one of the most misunderstood women in American history.

Lincoln by Gore Vidal.

The character of President Lincoln, unremittingly tested by the trials of the war years, is reflected through the eyes of the diverse and colorful denizens of Washington, including his wife Mary and his political rivals and disciples.

A Bullet For Lincoln by Benjamin King.

Seeking to guarantee that the government will not invest in rebuilding the South, conspirators hire an assassin to help them frame John Wilkes Booth..

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith.

Reveals the hidden life of the sixteenth U.S. president, who was actually a vampire-hunter obsessed with the complete elimination of the undead, and uncovers the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of the nation.

Henry and Clara by Thomas Mallon.

Stepsiblings Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris sit in President Lincoln's box on the night he is assassinated, and afterward, they marry and have children.

Freedom by William Safire.

Lincoln suspends habeas corpus at the beginning of the Civil War and events unfold until he signs the Emancipation Proclamation.

President's Week Reads

Somehow President's Week turned into a terrific sales event for stores as well as the perfect long getaway weekend with kids. Spring break often comes too late so the long break in February offers a perfect time to escape the winter doldrums. Here are some reads about American presidents, their lives, wives and history, plus a novel about being first lady that make for good reading on cold February days.

Inventing George Washington: America's founder, in mythand memory by Edward G. Lengel (on order, place your hold today)
An entertaining and erudite history that offers a fresh look at America's first founding father, the creation of his legend, and what it means
for our nation and ourselves.

The promise by Jonathan Alter
One of the country's most respected journalists and historians, uses his unique access to the White House to produce the first inside look at Obama's difficult debut.

My Father at 100 by Ron Reagan (on order, place your hold today)
Ronald Reagan's son presents an assessment of his father's life.

A Being So Gentle: The frontier love story of Rachel and Andrew Jackson
by Patricia Brady (on order, place your hold today)
Chronicles the forty-year love affair between Rachel and Andrew Jackson during a tumultuous period in American history.

American Wife: a novel by Curtis Sittenfeld

An epic and intimate fictional story of an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances when she becomes firstlady.

What's Obama Reading?

What’s President Obama Reading While He’s On Vacation?

In addition to playing tennis with the First Lady and spending time with his kids, President Obama has brought a number of books on his vacation to Martha’s Vineyard. According to the White House he’s taken the following titles with him:

The Way Home by George Pelecanos.
After years of rebellion that cost him his father's trust, Christopher Flynn now has a steady job at his father's company, but when temptation revives his old habits and instincts, he struggles to get past the demons trying to pull him back.

Hot, Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman.
Examines America's loss of focus and national purpose since 9/11, and the global environmental crisis, and shows how the solutions to these two problems are linked.

Lush Life by Richard Price.
Still living on the Lower East Side and waiting tables, thirty-five-year-old Eric Cash has every reason to be jealous of Ike Marcus, an ambitious young man on the way to the top, until he is supposedly gunned down by street thugs while walking one night with Eric.

John Adams by David McCullough.
Chronicles the life of America's second president, including his youth, his career as a Massachusetts farmer and lawyer, his marriage to Abigail, his rivalry with Thomas Jefferson, and his influence on the birth of the United States.

Search our Online Catalog for these titles.