He could both think and do – the perfect mix of philosopher and politician. He was a complex human being, but one that had a certain type of genius. This best-selling Jon Meacham book is all about politician and President, Thomas Jefferson. This is the perfect starting place if you have never read one of Jon Meacham’s best books! What I really enjoyed about this book is that it documents so many dark periods – but also how we got through them in the end. The most important message Jon Meacham gets across in this best novel is that people still struggle to look forwards instead of backwards, to live in hope instead of fear. Meacham dives into so much more than this, but everything he writes about are pivotal moments in US history that shaped the country into what it is today. This book also goes into the Civil War, the birth of the Lost Cause, the backlash against immigrants in America, the fight for women’s rights, and the revival of the Ku Klux Klan. All people who played a role in major historical turning points. He also highlights the courageous actions of influential citizens and activists, like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Alice Paul and Carrie Chapman Catt. Meacham paints a surprising picture of past leaders, such as Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Harry S.

By looking at the past, Meacham helps us to understand American politics as it is today, with a look back at some critical times when hope had to overcome fear.

I am going to start this article off with one of Jon Meacham’s best-rated books, which touches on previous presidents of the United States. Meacham was even personally asked by the Bush family to write the official biography for George H.W. His work is fascinating because it really touches on history and what should or shouldn’t be applied in the current political era. Jon Meacham is known for being well-researched when it comes to his best books.

If you have an interest in politics or the leaders of the United States, then these books will definitely catch your eye! Whenever reading biographies, it’s comforting to know that the author did their research and isn’t writing a bunch of nonsense. Meacham is predominantly known as a biographer of books about American presidents. He is currently a contributing writer at The Washington Post and The New York Times, and a contributing editor for Time magazine. Meacham used to have conversations with his grandfather and a group of men every morning about local and national politics.Īfter graduating with a degree in English literature, Meacham worked for several magazines before becoming an executive editor and executive vice president at Random House. This Tennessee native was raised by his paternal grandparents after his parents divorced, which is where his interest in politics first arose. Jon Meacham is more than just a Pulitzer Prize winning author he is also a historian, reviewer, and professor.

Jon meacham and then there was light