American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
Nov 2008 · Sold by Random House
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PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The definitive biography of Andrew Jackson, a larger-than-life president who defied norms, divided a nation, and changed Washington forever
“Marvelously readable . . . brings alive a profoundly flawed but dazzlingly charismatic American original.”—USA Today
Beloved and hated, venerated and reviled, Andrew Jackson was an orphan who fought his way to the pinnacle of power, bending the nation to his will in the cause of democracy. Jackson’s election in 1828 ushered in a new and lasting era in which the people, not distant elites, were the guiding force in American politics. He gave voice to the hopes and the fears of a restless, changing nation facing challenging times at home and threats abroad. To tell the saga of Jackson’s presidency, acclaimed author Jon Meacham draws on newly discovered family letters and papers, detailing the human drama—the family, the women, and the inner circle of advisers—that shaped Jackson’s private world through years of storm and victory.
Jackson was a battle-hardened warrior, the founder of the Democratic Party, and the architect of the presidency as we know it. His story is one of violence, sex, courage, and tragedy. With his powerful persona, his evident bravery, and his mystical connection to the people, Jackson moved the White House from the periphery of government to the center of national action, articulating a vision of change that challenged entrenched interests to heed the popular will—or face his formidable wrath.
Jackson was the most contradictory of men. He was, in short, a lot like his country: alternately kind and vicious, brilliant and blind; and a man who fought a lifelong war to keep the republic safe—no matter what it took.
“Marvelously readable . . . brings alive a profoundly flawed but dazzlingly charismatic American original.”—USA Today
Beloved and hated, venerated and reviled, Andrew Jackson was an orphan who fought his way to the pinnacle of power, bending the nation to his will in the cause of democracy. Jackson’s election in 1828 ushered in a new and lasting era in which the people, not distant elites, were the guiding force in American politics. He gave voice to the hopes and the fears of a restless, changing nation facing challenging times at home and threats abroad. To tell the saga of Jackson’s presidency, acclaimed author Jon Meacham draws on newly discovered family letters and papers, detailing the human drama—the family, the women, and the inner circle of advisers—that shaped Jackson’s private world through years of storm and victory.
Jackson was a battle-hardened warrior, the founder of the Democratic Party, and the architect of the presidency as we know it. His story is one of violence, sex, courage, and tragedy. With his powerful persona, his evident bravery, and his mystical connection to the people, Jackson moved the White House from the periphery of government to the center of national action, articulating a vision of change that challenged entrenched interests to heed the popular will—or face his formidable wrath.
Jackson was the most contradictory of men. He was, in short, a lot like his country: alternately kind and vicious, brilliant and blind; and a man who fought a lifelong war to keep the republic safe—no matter what it took.
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The definitive biography of Andrew Jackson, a larger-than-life president who defied norms, divided a nation, and changed Washington forever
“Marvelously readable . . . brings alive a profoundly flawed but dazzlingly charismatic American origina...
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Ratings and reviews
33 reviews
Mar G
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January 2, 2026
0stars he United a nation, thats the only thing good leaders do. If u arent uniting you arent leading. full stop. he probably had strong values and ppl that would make a country weak hate that. But screw those ppl
A Google user
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May 27, 2010
This is one of the most interesting biographies I've read. Andrew Jackson was one of the most important presidents in history. Not only does the book discuss his life and administrations but it discuses much about the evolution of America's government especially the executive branch.
A Google user
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November 3, 2010
Meacham paints a very lucid picture of an enigma of a man- a man that lives contradictions. Very fair and even-handed.
About the author
Jon Meacham is a Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer. The author of the New York Times bestsellers Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, Franklin and Winston, Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, and The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels, he is a distinguished visiting professor at Vanderbilt University, a contributing writer for The New York Times Book Review, and a fellow of the Society of American Historians. Meacham lives in Nashville and in Sewanee with his wife and children.
Jon Meacham is a Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer. The author of the New York Times bestsellers Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, Franklin and Winston, Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, and The Soul of Ameri...
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