Best books…chosen by Jon Meacham
Former Newsweek editor Jon Meacham is an executive at Random House and the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of a biography of Andrew Jackson.
Former Newsweek editor Jon Meacham is an executive at Random House and the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of American Lion, a biography of Andrew Jackson. His 2012 best-seller Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, is now in paperback.
The Last Lion, Vol. I by William Manchester (Bantam, $20). This book opens with a wonderfully evocative portrait of Winston Churchill at the hour of his greatest crisis—May 1940—then takes us back to the imperial “land of hope and glory” that shaped him. Manchester’s books on JFK, MacArthur, and war in the Pacific are terrific, but the first volume of Churchill stands out for me as this biographer’s finest hour.
The Wise Men by Walter Isaacson and Evan Thomas (Simon & Schuster, $20). I read this book when it was first published in the middle of the Reagan years. I loved it then and love it now. With a passionate attention to human detail and a keen understanding of power, Isaacson and Thomas created an enduring portrait of a handful of World War II–era leaders who shaped the way we live now.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch (Simon & Schuster, $24). This first volume of Branch’s three-part history of Martin Luther King Jr.’s impact opens unconventionally, with a portrait of Vernon Johns, King’s forgotten predecessor. By the time the book closes, in the wake of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombings in Birmingham, Ala., and the assassination of President Kennedy, we’ve gotten as close to King and the people around him as readers possibly can.
Some Sort of Epic Grandeur by Matthew J. Bruccoli (Univ. of South Carolina, $30). An engrossing, elegant biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald that—forgive the cliché—reads as compellingly as the best of Fitzgerald’s own fiction. This is the finest literary life that I have ever encountered.
Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie (Random House, $20). The human drama behind the fall of the Romanovs. An absorbing, sensitive account of the events that led to the rise of Soviet totalitarianism.
The Crisis Years by Michael R. Beschloss (out of print). The story of John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev, the men who held the power to plunge the world into Armageddon. No subject could be more important, and Beschloss paints it vividly and memorably.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Why is Tesla stumbling?
In the Spotlight More competition, confusion about the future and a giant pay package for Elon Musk
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
How Taylor Swift changed copyright negotiations in music
under the radar The success of Taylor's Version rerecordings has put new pressure on record labels
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Job scams are increasingly common. Here's what to look out for.
The Explainer You should never pay for an application or give out your personal info before being hired
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Sarah Langan recommends 6 women-centric horror books
Feature The horror novelist recommends works by Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Amanda Montell's 6 favorite books that will expand your knowledge
Feature The linguist recommends works by Mary Roach, Alice Carrière, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Rowan Beaird recommends 6 compelling books from the 1950s
Feature The author recommends works by Patricia Highsmith, Shirley Jackson, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Stephen Graham Jones' 6 scary books with deeper meanings
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Stephen King, Sara Gran, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Keith O'Brien's 6 must-read books about significant moments in sports history
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Laura Hillenbrand, Jonathan Eig and more
By The Week US Published
-
Lauren Oyler's favorite collection of essays that will leave you deep in thought
Feature The author recommends works by Elif Batuman, Mark Greif, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Rebecca Serle's 6 favorite books about interpersonal relationships
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by J.D. Salinger, Dolly Alderton, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Cristina Henríquez's 6 popular books with historical themes
Feature The novelist recommends works by Min Jin Lee, Kurt Vonnegut, and more
By The Week US Published