A review by mamalemma
American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham

4.0

I have read a number of presidential histories from varying periods of American history, and it never ceases to amaze me how relevant and important they are to today's political landscape. The Jacksonian era was a turbulent time of strife surrounding states' rights and the influence of money in politics -- something we continue to argue about today. Andrew Jackson was a powerhouse of a president, whose record is littered with things vital to our nation (keeping the union together, painting the president as a servant of the people), as well as some arrogant and cruel things (Trail of Tears. Enough said.) Meacham's biography shows him as the complex man he was, surrounded by an interesting cast of characters -- yes, characters! -- whose personal lives impacted American history. What other biography has a whole last chapter dedicated to a "what happened to ...?" section for the people surrounding the president? (As a side note, the scandalous Mrs. Eaton's entry made me gasp!) The book overall was kind of a slog, and not as interesting as other presidential biographies, but I'm so glad I stuck with it -- I learned a ton!