Presidential Picks

Happy President's Day! 

President's Day is an interesting holiday because it was originally intended to celebrate George Washington's birthday on February 22, but was moved to the third Monday of February to create a three-day weekend and to widen its scope to include a celebration of all U.S. presidents. I certainly appreciate the three-day weekend, though we have yet to have a full week of classes yet because of all this snow!

I've put together a quick list of presidential picks to acknowledge the holiday, with a focus on the early presidents. Though there is certainly a plethora of literature that encompasses all of our country's leaders, I find that my interest is most peaked by our early leaders and by those who stood at the helm of our country at pivotal points in history.

 If you are a non-fiction, history, or biography-lover, this is the booklist for you!

Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard // I'm not a huge fan of non-fiction literature, but this is one biography that I loved. Not only did I find it easier to access than most historical writing, but I also loved how Millard widened the scope beyond Garfield to include the context in which he lived. Hindsight is 20/20 but it's so interesting to see how the medicinal and scientific advances that were occurring at the time could have resulted in a different ending for Garfield, if only his advisors had made more open-minded decisions. 

The President and the Assassin by Scott Miller // This one is of a similar vein to Destiny of the Republic, which is what landed it on my to-read list. It's the story of President McKinley as he helped the U.S. transition to an industrial economy, and his assassin, Leon Czolgosz. Czolgosz was just one citizen representing the many who were bitterly opposed to the change and felt wounded by a government that was increasingly interested in the wants of the rich rather than the needs of the poor. I'm not familiar with this period in our history nor do I know much about the violent ending, so this is one book that I know I'll learn a lot from. 

John Quincy Adams by Harlow Giles Unger // John Quincy Adams was one historical figure who seemed to have a hand in just about every major event at the start of our country's history. He was an ambassador, secretary of state, senator, congressman, and president. He knew Washington and Lincoln, was there for the War of 1812 and the Civil War, and was a fierce advocate for the rights of the people. This biography has excellent ratings on Goodreads and promises to be packed with historical richness.

The Man Who Saved the Union by H.W. Brands // Ulysses Grant is well-known for his leadership on the battlefield, and for his part in bringing victory to the Union during the Civil War. This biography examines how he was also a skilled and competent president who helped tremendously to stitch the country back together and who was a fearless defender of civil rights. 

With Malice Toward None by Stephen B. Oates // I couldn't curate this list without a book about Lincoln, who is arguably the most well-liked president in our country's history. This biography details not only Lincoln's time as president, but also his early life and how he came to be such a revered figure in our past. It promises to read like a novel, which is something that I look for in historical reads. 

Do you have a favorite presidential read? Leave a recommendation below! 

P.S. Click here to read about my presidential pick from last year. 

P.P.S. Here's another favorite from my history-loving-bestie.

Currently Coveting {February}

Happy February! I love this month because it means we are one step closer to spring-- though we are expecting a bit of snow here today-- enough to give us our third snow day of the semester! With an expected high of 14 degrees (yikes!), it's unlikely that I'll be venturing outside more than necessary, so curling up with a good book and a cup of tea sounds just about right. My reading choices have been all over the place lately, so when I sat down to seek some new February finds, my search took me all over Goodreads. Here's are just a few of the titles I've picked to add to my library list:

The Traitor's Wife by Allison Pataki // Did you catch Sons of Liberty on the History Channel last week? I only saw snippets of each episode, but it got me thinking that maybe my failed forays into American history could be solved with a good bit of historical fiction. Enter this book, which is about Benedict Arnold, an infamous traitor to the American Revolution, and his wife, who is actually the mastermind behind his treasonous acts. The story is told from the perspective of the wife's maid, "whose faith in the new nation inspires her to intervene in her mistress's affairs," and looks to be an action-packed read. Definitely for fans of historical fiction, American history, and powerful female characters. Allison Pataki's second book is set to be published mid-month; if The Traitor's Wife is as good as it sounds, then I'll definitely be on the waiting list for her newest release.

A Trip to the Stars by Nicholas Christopher // Sometimes it's hard to tell if a book looks good when its description is only one sentence long, as with this one. "A young boy and his adopted aunt become separated when the youngster is kidnapped by his wealthy, eccentric great-uncle, but mysterious ties continue to link the two unknowingly over the fifteen-year separation." - that's all that Goodreads has to say about this. I was curious, so I turned to reader reviews (one feature of Goodreads that I love), and saw that multiple people had proclaimed this to be the best book they'd ever read. Whoa. So I'm putting my trust in that enthusiasm and putting this book on my to-read list. 

The Invention of Everything Else: A Novel by Samantha Hunt // This book is like a giant mixing pot of genres. When reading the description, I started out thinking that it was a historical fiction novel about Nikola Tesla. To me, that would have qualified as interesting enough to put on my list. Continuing on, I realized it has a rather large science fiction component to it, in the form of time travel. The combination of the two give it an eclectic vibe that I'm looking forward to exploring.

The Painted Bridge by Wendy Wallace // The Victorian Era is a favorite of mine for historical fiction, not just for books but also in film and on TV. Pair that with my fascination with the history of psychology and the clinical approach to mental illness and you have a story that instantly catches my attention. This is the story of a victorian woman who is admitted to a women's-only asylum by her husband just weeks after their wedding. It's one of those tales in which a seemingly sane person questions her sanity to the point of feeling insane, and brings up the point that in reality, we're all a little off-kilter. It reminds me of this book, which I read in 2013 and loved. 

*****

As I mentioned a few times recently, my book rut has lasted much longer than usual, so I've been skipping around from book to book and feeling like I'm not sure which genre I want to indulge in most. From curating this month's list, I am definitely feeling a pull towards historical fiction reads, and I'm thinking this will be the month to bring me back to that feeling of being fully enthralled in a book. Which we all know is the best feeling ever.

What are you looking forward to reading this month?