Books Like...
If you liked A Country of Vast Designs, here are the top 37 books to read next:
- #1
Save:A concise, insightful, and humanizing intro to George Washington - great for both curious newcomers and seasoned history fans, though it trades exhaustive detail for a brisk, accessible portrait of America's original President.
HISTORY FIRST noticed George Washington in 1753, as a daring and resourceful twenty-one-year-old messenger sent on a dangerous mission into the American wilderness. He carried a letter from the govern... - #2
Save:A thoughtful, thorough look at John Adams that reveals the complex, very human side of America’s second president - challenging, thought-provoking, and well worth the read for serious history fans.
A fascinating and well-researched look at an often-misunderstood president - perfect for history buffs who like their heroes flawed and their stories full of surprises.
West Branch lay in the barely settled reaches of eastern Iowa at the intersection of two dirt roads. Downey Street, running north and south, was a crooked, rutted cart path that served as the main app...- #4
Save:A compelling, even-handed, and insightful look at one of America’s most complex presidents - warts and all. Highly recommended for thoughtful readers, regardless of your political leanings.
THE UNITED STATES had throttled its foes with steel. Now it was time to stand down and go home. Navy lieutenant John Renneburg was stationed at the Glenn L. Martin Company aeronautics complex near Bal... - #5
Save:A detailed, sympathetic portrait of Calvin Coolidge that shines light on an underrated president - perfect for history enthusiasts, but perhaps too detail-heavy and partisan for some casual readers.
To no one had this ever seemed clearer than to a sixty-one-year-old farmer named Oliver Coolidge who languished in Woodstock Common Jail in Windsor County, Vermont, in the spring of 1849. Coolidge was... - #6
Save:A warm, personal memoir that celebrates character over controversy - perfect for those looking for a lighter, more intimate view of a president through the eyes of his son, but not the book for anyone seeking hard-hitting political analysis.
About eighteen months earlier, Jean had called to review the funeral arrangements for my father. He had spent nearly a month in the hospital with pneumonia, and many feared that this good man was head... A definitive, well-researched, and nuanced portrait of America's first president - essential for history lovers, though the writing can feel dense or old-fashioned at times.
No American is more completely misunderstood than George Washington. He is generally believed to have been, by birth and training, a rich, conservative, British-oriented Virginia aristocrat. As a matt...An Unfinished Life is one of the most comprehensive, fair, and readable JFK biographies out there - warts and all. It won't satisfy assassinations buffs or those after pure myth-making, but it's a must for anyone curious about the real man behind the legend.
IN AUGUST 1947, John F. Kennedy traveled to Ireland. The trip was notable for several reasons. Kennedy was first and foremost a “good New Englander,” an American—so said the Irish ambassador to the Un...- #9
Save:A richly detailed and accessible portrait of a complex Founder - high on insight, but not without blind spots. Great for serious history fans, but don’t rely on it as your only source on Jefferson.
HE WAS THE KIND OF MAN people noticed. An imposing, prosperous, well-liked farmer known for his feats of strength and his capacity for endurance in the wilderness, Peter Jefferson had amassed large tr... - #10
Save:A deeply researched, even-handed portrait of one of America’s most iconic leaders - perfect if you want the definitive all-in-one-volume Lincoln biography.
Abraham Lincoln was not interested in his ancestry. In his mind he was a self-made man, who had no need to care about his family tree. In 1859, when friends asked him for autobiographical information...
