I love this so much. My husband walked in while I was watching and it got us started on a discussion of all the cool reading challenges people set for themselves (1,001 women authors, Pulitzer winners, a book from every country, etc). I love them all!!
Loved this video-I’m so busy writing titles and authors! You made me laugh out loud-poor boring James Monroe😂🙃🤣 Very helpful! Looking forward to the next 5
I really appreciated this video. I have watched your videos for years and love your recommendations, especially for nonfiction. My interest was piqued in your previous Presidential Challenge videos. I think I will start my own in January. I have already started making a list of books to read for it and this is really helpful. Thanks so much!
This is so great! I am definitely more interested in picking up some presidential biographies as you continue to talk about this project. It seems like a good way to chronologically go through American history and still focus on individual characters and their experiences. I will be interested to see as you get deeper into the presidents, as I feel like I know very little about the “middle” presidents haha
I love that you are doing this series. This year I started an American history project, but I'm still in the colonial period before the seven year's war. I bought a Noah Feldman biography of James Madison and a Tim McGrath biography of James Monroe. I hope they're good.
@@TimeTravelReads Thank you! I do love a reading project! I hope your Madison and Monroe biographies are good. I have heard of the Feldman bio and it is supposed to be good.
Thank you for putting up this video, especially since you have to be busy with holiday prep. Kudos on tbe tree background. I too have been working through a series of biographies mostly focused on Revolutionary period figures male and female. Hadn't considered a project for all president's, but could be an interesting project. Looking forward to hearing more from you as work through your list. Happy Holidays!
@@rmcmasters9687 Before I started the project, I didn’t think I was interested in revolutionary period history. Turns out I am, at least through the lens of biography!
It’s a beautiful tree. I am so glad you are making this video. I am currently reading Washington by Ron chernow. I am slowly accumulating presidential biographies. I love your reviews 😊
@ Vickie. have you read Harlow Giles hanger’s book on marquis Lafayette. Please continue I love love it. I am very interested in your reviews and recommendations. I have a book on James Madison by Lynn Cheney but haven’t read it yet. I wonder how it is.
This is immensely helpful. Your critique of each is a great guide to me as I also am interested in what helped shape their personality. Harlow Giles Unger also wrote a good bio for John Quincy Adams.
I love hearing what you think of these books. I am getting ready to start my presidential reading challenge myself! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on these books.
I very much appreciated the video, and I hope that you can make more of them. I am obsessed with US history, and I have read Chernow's biography on Washington; Meacham's biography on Andrew Jackson; Goodwin's examination on the presidency and cabinet of Abraham Lincoln; Jean Edward Smith's biographies on FDR and Eisenhower (separate biographies); and McCullough's biography of Truman. I really liked or loved all of them except for Meacham's on Jackson which I thought was uninspired and too unwilling to criticize. My favourite of those was Edwards' biography on Eisenhower. Would love to hear what you think of the biographies of presidents in the Cold War. Cheers from Canada!
@ Whoa, I’m amazed you never heard of it. Paul Giametti plays Adams and he’s fabulous and Laura Linney is Abigail and she’s fabulous. I know you aren’t a big TV person but it’s definitely worth the time.
This is very helpful! I found your channel after starting the challenge last year. I chose all the same books as you too 🤣 I’m on Jackson so please keep them coming!
I watched your previous video where you spoke about your presidential biography reading challenge. I was intrigued and challenged. I realized I was drawn to political biographies be it the politician or his wife over the years. So I picked up Chernow's Washington and have challenged my self to read the biographies in order. I like that you also include related readings. I picked up a clean, unread copy of 1776 by McCullough the other day at a thrift store. Confirmation of my plan? haha Does Founding Brothers cover a different viewpoint from 1776 or are they covering the same? As for you continuing the videos on this subject, my vote is yes, please do. I liked the point you made that reading about these men, in order also exposed you to the history of our country along the way. Thank you, Heidi for sharing your reading journey.
@@Carols_BooksandFibers I think Founding Fathers covers some of the same ground but from a different perspective. I like to read related books because sometimes you get new info and sometimes you get the same info but with a different spin. Good luck with your reads!
I do find this very interesting. I’ve only gotten to the first 3 presidents and I read the same books! I’m interested in seeing what other books you read alongside as I have Founding Fathers on my TBR.
As a Canadian, the subject isn't terrifically interesting for me, but I have read some Ron Chernow. And I've read three or four books about Lincoln. That is the most perfect and symmetrical tree I've ever seen, it's lovely. Also loved the brief cameo feom Libby.
@@louisep1962 Yes I can see that this project would not be super interesting to non Americans! 🤣 Thanks for your kind words about the tree. Libby likes to sleep under it.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on these bios, and YES, it's very helpful. For anyone interested in a shorter bio of Washington, I'd recommend "His Excellency" by Joseph P. Ellis. It's under 300 pages, but very thorough and insightful. I've got his Founding Brothers on my TBR, and hope to get to that in 2025. Given that the 250th anniversary of 1776 is coming up in 2026, your recs are very timely! Can't wait until you get to McCullough's Truman; I think I liked it even a little better than Adams, which I loved.
@@kathleencraine7335 I am excited for Truman! Just have to get through all the FDR related books. Thanks for the recommendation of a shorter Washington bio.
I have loved all your videos you do on your presidential challenge. I have a question about James Madison. I have anther book about him on my list for possibilities. James Madison: A Life Reconsidered by Lynne Cheney. Have you heard anything about this book? I see it was published in 2014, so it wasn’t available when you were reading about this president.
I like these video's. Would like to reccomend a book for when you come to Eisenhower i just read recently. Got it at local library. Author is Jim Newton. It is Eisenhower: The White House years. Just a suggestion. I know you have read up to FDR so just thought would pass this along. Thanks for your time. Willard Miller
James Monroe is #13 in the 2017 C-Span best Presidents ranking. I really enjoyed the Unger biography and was surprised by Monroe’s accomplishments. I am reading at least two biographies of each President with the intention of getting different perspectives. I have read all of the ones you discussed. Audible has released the 7 volume Freeman bio of Washington. Going to go back and pick that one up. The website My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies is a good source in selecting books on the Presidents.
@@ksilkey1 is he really? I have mostly forgotten what I read about Madison and Monroe. Neither stuck with me. I do use that website to help me choose what to read. It is excellent.
@@myreadinglife8816 I think a lot of what he did was in the background. For example, Jefferson is always given credit for the Louisiana Purchase. It was Monroe who actually negotiated the sale, Jefferson signed off on it. The hard work of getting the deal done was Monroe. One thing that I liked about the Unger book was the pacing. He moved the “story” right along. I am going to read his JQA book next year. Will see if that holds true in that one.
I’ve been waiting for this & then somehow I missed it. I suppose the nature of the subject impacts the biography. So Jefferson’s hypocrisy - whether acknowledged or not - makes him automatically somewhat unappealing. Last weekend I finished Garry Wills on Henry Adams - so the terms of Jefferson and Madison - and my feeling was that his treatment of Madison and the denouement of the 1812 (and its consequences) was weirdly different to my own, so he has become an author I will take with a grain of salt. My feeling was that Monroe should be interesting, so I’m sorry to hear that about his biography. I’m a lover of JQA so I’m excited for the next five! Thank you for doing this.
@@davidnovakreadspoetry There is so much content being produced in December it’s no wonder you didn’t notice my little video! I agree, hypocrisy makes a subject less appealing. I may be unfair in my assessment of the Monroe but honestly I remember very little about the read except the feeling of boredom! 😂
I've been thinking of starting this project, so I'm interested to see who you have read. (Very curious what you think when you get to the likes of William Henry Harrison and Millard Fillmore...)
My tree is also still naked 😅. I feel like that could be a new trend we embrace this year - very minimalist 😅🤦♀. Also I always forget that I want to read John McCullough books! Everyone who reads him loves him - I need to finally get on this in 2025! Good job finding books about the really unremarkable presidents 😅 - I feel like the lit about some of those boring ones there in the middle might be a bit rare.
When reading about events of the past you can’t compare it to the present..because society and its people viewed things in a different light…slavery at the time of the founders was considered legal and eventually this country fought an internal war to abolish the institution of slavery ..no other country has never done this throughout history.
@@gracedavis1854There’s lots to learn from the past so we don’t repeat mistakes. Slavery was legal at the time of the founding fathers but at least Washington and Jefferson questioned the morality of owning human beings. It’s ok to be critical of historical figures for their ethical mistakes.
I love this so much. My husband walked in while I was watching and it got us started on a discussion of all the cool reading challenges people set for themselves (1,001 women authors, Pulitzer winners, a book from every country, etc). I love them all!!
@@eyesonindie I am really into reading projects! I love working towards that goal.
Loved this video-I’m so busy writing titles and authors! You made me laugh out loud-poor boring James Monroe😂🙃🤣
Very helpful! Looking forward to the next 5
@@vickicoleman2474 Poor old JM! I should throw shade at him! 😂
I really appreciated this video. I have watched your videos for years and love your recommendations, especially for nonfiction. My interest was piqued in your previous Presidential Challenge videos. I think I will start my own in January. I have already started making a list of books to read for it and this is really helpful. Thanks so much!
@@tamarayork8654 Thank you so much! I appreciate the kind words!
This is so great! I am definitely more interested in picking up some presidential biographies as you continue to talk about this project. It seems like a good way to chronologically go through American history and still focus on individual characters and their experiences. I will be interested to see as you get deeper into the presidents, as I feel like I know very little about the “middle” presidents haha
@@themusicsnob Some of those middle presidents were real snooze fests! 🤣 But there is always good info about the country in general mixed in there.
I love that you are doing this series. This year I started an American history project, but I'm still in the colonial period before the seven year's war. I bought a Noah Feldman biography of James Madison and a Tim McGrath biography of James Monroe. I hope they're good.
@@TimeTravelReads Thank you! I do love a reading project! I hope your Madison and Monroe biographies are good. I have heard of the Feldman bio and it is supposed to be good.
I love that you are doing this challenge, Heidi. So many wonderful recommendations here.
@@BookChatWithPat8668 Thanks Pat! It has been very rewarding!
@@myreadinglife8816 I can tell.
This video is such a great and helpful idea. Thank you
@@fitjock1 Thank you! I’m glad you find it helpful.
Thank you for putting up this video, especially since you have to be busy with holiday prep. Kudos on tbe tree background. I too have been working through a series of biographies mostly focused on Revolutionary period figures male and female. Hadn't considered a project for all president's, but could be an interesting project. Looking forward to hearing more from you as work through your list. Happy Holidays!
@@rmcmasters9687 Before I started the project, I didn’t think I was interested in revolutionary period history. Turns out I am, at least through the lens of biography!
It’s a beautiful tree. I am so glad you are making this video. I am currently reading Washington by Ron chernow. I am slowly accumulating presidential biographies. I love your reviews 😊
@@user-iz6cc6lz3j-Vickie Thank you! My husband is just putting the lights on the tree now. I hope you enjoy the Chernow!
@ Vickie. have you read Harlow Giles hanger’s book on marquis Lafayette. Please continue I love love it. I am very interested in your reviews and recommendations. I have a book on James Madison by Lynn Cheney but haven’t read it yet. I wonder how it is.
Yay! Thank you for the update. Using this as my guide for the challenge as well. 💙
@@shawneeg429 Thank you! I hope you enjoy the reads!
I’m so excited for this series. Love that you’re adding extra books recommendations as well. Thanks!
@@amylynnm324 Thank you! I am glad you find this series interesting!
This is immensely helpful. Your critique of each is a great guide to me as I also am interested in what helped shape their personality. Harlow Giles Unger also wrote a good bio for John Quincy Adams.
@@donnamarie6840 Yes the HGU bio of JQA will show up in the next video. Glad you found it helpful!
Excellent! 🤓
@@alldbooks9165 Thank you! 😚
I love hearing what you think of these books. I am getting ready to start my presidential reading challenge myself! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on these books.
@@sandyvw1905 I’m glad you find it helpful! Thanks for watching!
Thank you! I've read the John Adams and loved it, but wasn't sure where to start with some of the others.
@@deborahwager5883 Glad to help!
I very much appreciated the video, and I hope that you can make more of them. I am obsessed with US history, and I have read Chernow's biography on Washington; Meacham's biography on Andrew Jackson; Goodwin's examination on the presidency and cabinet of Abraham Lincoln; Jean Edward Smith's biographies on FDR and Eisenhower (separate biographies); and McCullough's biography of Truman. I really liked or loved all of them except for Meacham's on Jackson which I thought was uninspired and too unwilling to criticize. My favourite of those was Edwards' biography on Eisenhower.
Would love to hear what you think of the biographies of presidents in the Cold War. Cheers from Canada!
I enjoyed this! I love presidential history. I’ve read John Adams (and of course adored the HBO series).
@@theredheadisreading2251 I didn’t know there was an HBO series on Adams! I will have to look into it!
@ Whoa, I’m amazed you never heard of it. Paul Giametti plays Adams and he’s fabulous and Laura Linney is Abigail and she’s fabulous. I know you aren’t a big TV person but it’s definitely worth the time.
This is very helpful! I found your channel after starting the challenge last year. I chose all the same books as you too 🤣 I’m on Jackson so please keep them coming!
@@YodelingPotato Thank you! That is funny we chose all the same books for the first few presidents!
@ 🤣I know!
I watched your previous video where you spoke about your presidential biography reading challenge. I was intrigued and challenged. I realized I was drawn to political biographies be it the politician or his wife over the years. So I picked up Chernow's Washington and have challenged my self to read the biographies in order. I like that you also include related readings. I picked up a clean, unread copy of 1776 by McCullough the other day at a thrift store. Confirmation of my plan? haha Does Founding Brothers cover a different viewpoint from 1776 or are they covering the same? As for you continuing the videos on this subject, my vote is yes, please do. I liked the point you made that reading about these men, in order also exposed you to the history of our country along the way. Thank you, Heidi for sharing your reading journey.
@@Carols_BooksandFibers I think Founding Fathers covers some of the same ground but from a different perspective. I like to read related books because sometimes you get new info and sometimes you get the same info but with a different spin. Good luck with your reads!
I do find this very interesting. I’ve only gotten to the first 3 presidents and I read the same books! I’m interested in seeing what other books you read alongside as I have Founding Fathers on my TBR.
@@ZoeBeck7 oh good, I’m glad you find these videos useful! I do like working on a long term project.
Definitely interesting!👍
@@juanap132 Thank you!
As a Canadian, the subject isn't terrifically interesting for me, but I have read some Ron Chernow. And I've read three or four books about Lincoln.
That is the most perfect and symmetrical tree I've ever seen, it's lovely. Also loved the brief cameo feom Libby.
@@louisep1962 Yes I can see that this project would not be super interesting to non Americans! 🤣
Thanks for your kind words about the tree. Libby likes to sleep under it.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on these bios, and YES, it's very helpful. For anyone interested in a shorter bio of Washington, I'd recommend "His Excellency" by Joseph P. Ellis. It's under 300 pages, but very thorough and insightful. I've got his Founding Brothers on my TBR, and hope to get to that in 2025. Given that the 250th anniversary of 1776 is coming up in 2026, your recs are very timely! Can't wait until you get to McCullough's Truman; I think I liked it even a little better than Adams, which I loved.
@@kathleencraine7335 I am excited for Truman! Just have to get through all the FDR related books. Thanks for the recommendation of a shorter Washington bio.
You’ve inspired me to start reading about the British Prime Minister’s 📚
We actually don't learn that much about American presidents in school. So many of them I've never even heard of!
@@LunaciaBooks That makes sense! There are several you can safely ignore! 😂
@myreadinglife8816 😂
I have loved all your videos you do on your presidential challenge. I have a question about James Madison. I have anther book about him on my list for possibilities. James Madison: A Life Reconsidered by Lynne Cheney. Have you heard anything about this book? I see it was published in 2014, so it wasn’t available when you were reading about this president.
@@bookwalk1 Doris recommended that one to me as well. I need to go back and read it. Maybe I will change my mind about Madison! 😂
I like these video's. Would like to reccomend a book for when you come to Eisenhower i just read recently. Got it at local library. Author is Jim Newton. It is Eisenhower: The White House years. Just a suggestion. I know you have read up to FDR so just thought would pass this along. Thanks for your time. Willard Miller
@@willardmiller7512 Thanks for the recommendation! I am looking forward to reading about Eisenhower!
James Monroe is #13 in the 2017 C-Span best Presidents ranking. I really enjoyed the Unger biography and was surprised by Monroe’s accomplishments. I am reading at least two biographies of each President with the intention of getting different perspectives. I have read all of the ones you discussed. Audible has released the 7 volume Freeman bio of Washington. Going to go back and pick that one up. The website My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies is a good source in selecting books on the Presidents.
@@ksilkey1 is he really? I have mostly forgotten what I read about Madison and Monroe. Neither stuck with me. I do use that website to help me choose what to read. It is excellent.
@@myreadinglife8816 I think a lot of what he did was in the background. For example, Jefferson is always given credit for the Louisiana Purchase. It was Monroe who actually negotiated the sale, Jefferson signed off on it. The hard work of getting the deal done was Monroe. One thing that I liked about the Unger book was the pacing. He moved the “story” right along. I am going to read his JQA book next year. Will see if that holds true in that one.
@ I read HGU’s book on JQA and really liked it!
I’ve been waiting for this & then somehow I missed it.
I suppose the nature of the subject impacts the biography. So Jefferson’s hypocrisy - whether acknowledged or not - makes him automatically somewhat unappealing.
Last weekend I finished Garry Wills on Henry Adams - so the terms of Jefferson and Madison - and my feeling was that his treatment of Madison and the denouement of the 1812 (and its consequences) was weirdly different to my own, so he has become an author I will take with a grain of salt.
My feeling was that Monroe should be interesting, so I’m sorry to hear that about his biography. I’m a lover of JQA so I’m excited for the next five! Thank you for doing this.
@@davidnovakreadspoetry There is so much content being produced in December it’s no wonder you didn’t notice my little video! I agree, hypocrisy makes a subject less appealing. I may be unfair in my assessment of the Monroe but honestly I remember very little about the read except the feeling of boredom! 😂
I've been thinking of starting this project, so I'm interested to see who you have read. (Very curious what you think when you get to the likes of William Henry Harrison and Millard Fillmore...)
@@awebofstories oh those mid presidents… 🤣🤣🤣 Those ones are tough!
My tree is also still naked 😅. I feel like that could be a new trend we embrace this year - very minimalist 😅🤦♀. Also I always forget that I want to read John McCullough books! Everyone who reads him loves him - I need to finally get on this in 2025! Good job finding books about the really unremarkable presidents 😅 - I feel like the lit about some of those boring ones there in the middle might be a bit rare.
@@TooManyHeathers I finally put some decorations on the tree! Still doesn’t feel like Christmas though. David McCullough is worth your time.
When reading about events of the past you can’t compare it to the present..because society and its people viewed things in a different light…slavery at the time of the founders was considered legal and eventually this country fought an internal war to abolish the institution of slavery ..no other country has never done this throughout history.
@@gracedavis1854There’s lots to learn from the past so we don’t repeat mistakes. Slavery was legal at the time of the founding fathers but at least Washington and Jefferson questioned the morality of owning human beings. It’s ok to be critical of historical figures for their ethical mistakes.