American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

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American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 · rating details · 11,431 ratings · 858 reviews

Andrew Jackson, his intimate circle of friends, and his tumultuous times are at the heart of this remarkable book about the man who rose from nothing to create the modern presidency. 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...more Andrew Jackson, his intimate circle of friends, and his tumultuous times are at the heart of this remarkable book about the man who rose from nothing to create the modern presidency. 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. Democracy made its stand in the Jackson years, and 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 goes inside the Jackson White House. Drawing on newly discovered family letters and papers, he details 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.

One of our most significant yet dimly recalled presidents, 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. The greatest of the presidents who have followed Jackson in the White House–from Lincoln to Theodore Roosevelt to FDR to Truman–have found inspiration in his example, and virtue in his vision.

Jackson was the most contradictory of men. The architect of the removal of Indians from their native lands, he was warmly sentimental and risked everything to give more power to ordinary citizens. 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.

Jon Meacham in American Lion has delivered the definitive human portrait of a pivotal president who forever changed the American presidency–and America itself.(less)

Hardcover, First edition, 483 pages

Published November 11th 2008 by Random House (first published November 8th 2008)

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Jan 23, 2009 Erik Simon rated it 1 of 5 stars

This is by far one of the biggest piles of crap I've ever read. The writing is bad in numerous ways:

1. Doesn't tell enough. Meachem tells me that Jackson's father died unexpectedly, then he takes a long sentence to tell me that during the funeral, the body actually got lost. So why couldn't he tell me how exactly the guy died? This mistake is common throughout. He keeps not telling me things he ought.

2. Tells me too much. I am not exaggerating when I say he spends just as much time, just as many...more This is by far one of the biggest piles of crap I've ever read. The writing is bad in numerous ways:

1. Doesn't tell enough. Meachem tells me that Jackson's father died unexpectedly, then he takes a long sentence to tell me that during the funeral, the body actually got lost. So why couldn't he tell me how exactly the guy died? This mistake is common throughout. He keeps not telling me things he ought.

2. Tells me too much. I am not exaggerating when I say he spends just as much time, just as many words, talking about the baptism of his neice's child as he does the pivotal election of 1824. Now, I know this book is about Jackson in the White House and that the guy didn't win until 1828, but come fucking on, man: that 1824 election set the stage for everything. I can't get more information on it than I get on a baptism?

3. There's a consistent painful linkage of bad, bad metaphors. For instance, in one scene, Meacham feels the need to tell us of an evening wherein Jackson advised someone during a chess game. He sets the scene up with great detail, all so he can get to the larger metaphor of how politics, for Jackson, was like a chess game. First off, bad writing. Second off, no shit. I'm sorry, Mr. Meacham, but is there a major political figure who doesn't view politics as a game of strategy?

4. Lastly, there's no overarching vision in this book. Meacham lurches from chunk of information to chunk of information with little obligation to coherence. One can almost see him reading a bunch of stuff in the morning then, in the afternoon, writing a page to summarize what he read that morning, then doing it all over again the next morning. This is the way in which it seems obvious that Meacham (editor of Newsweek) is more of a magazine guy. He seems incapable of thinking past four pages.

Where oh where is there a good book on Jackson? Can anyone tell me? Schlesinger's book is unreadable; his prose could kill a healthy moose. Besides which it completely elides that pesky Indian problem, which was only a MAJOR part of Jackson's Presidency. The new book out by David Reynolds is okay, if you're in fifth grade. I wasn't able to do Remini's bio on Jackson, but maybe that was my fault. The best stuff I've read on Jackson tends to be books about other things in which he plays a key role, such as Sean Wilentz' amazing book THE RISE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. So please, goodreads friends, if you know of a good read on Old Hickoy, do tell.

Meanwhile, I feel compelled to relate that some years ago, while I visited his house, The Hermitage, I lucked out and happened to go on the one day of the year that it was free--his birthday. It is a lovely home, and the grounds are lovelier, but I still tend to think of Jackson as 20% right and 80% pan fried ass hole.(less)

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Jan 03, 2009 Gillian is currently reading it

Um, did you know Andrew Jackson was a huge badass? He was also sort of a jerk. And he invented the Democratic party basically. Plus he was not very cool to the Native Americans.

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Jan 26, 2009 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Since I live in New Orleans I feel a certain vague connection to Jackson. The Chalmette battleground down river, where his forces slaughtered the British, is still an interesting place to visit. There is a reenactment there of the Battle of New Orleans in February.

This book was a Christmas present. It is focused on the man and what drove him perhaps more than the events in his life. Jackson was a pivotal figure in US history in many ways.

Gave me much more appreciation of this complex man and hi...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Shellys♥ Journal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, biography, history, presidential-bio

This is the story primarily of Andrew Jackson's presidency - the things he battled and stood for. Meacham does include a brief history of Old Hickory, enough to link together some of the reasons why Jackson stood for what he did. Jackson faced a number of challenges during his 8 years in office - some of it his own making. His stand for the Union perhaps most memorable, but also the Petticoat Wars, his battle with the Bank of the United States among others.

While I enjoyed learning more about Ja...more

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May 11, 2009 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think this book confused people. They were expecting a McCullough-esque hardcore biography of everything Jackson did EVER. Not so. As Meacham himself states in his Author's note, he was going for a biographical portrait of Jackson's time in the White House. And on that account, this is an excellent book. It gives a great picture of the tumult surrounding Jackson's two terms, the things that made him tick, and the decisions that defined his presidency. No, it didn't really tell us all about And...more

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Dec 04, 2008 Cassidy Cassidy rated it 2 of 5 stars

While a terrifically thorough listing of the era's political issues and the personalities clashing over them, the examination left much to be desired. The substance falls victim to a regular temptation among American authors writing American history. Meacham's approach only acknowledges in passing the character flaws of his subject while amplifying the qualities and deeds that would make Jackson a hero to many. For instance, Jackson's unrepentant slave-ownership and his role in devastating gener...more

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Feb 16, 2009 Sara rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: didntfinish

I was excited to read this book, so it was especially disappointing to discover how poorly written it is. I only got through about 75 pages before giving up. The narration bounces around in time, skips over areas I think are important and goes into too much detail about other things. I know the book is supposed to focus on his presidency but I need to know more about him as a person to appreciate that and this just wasn't doing it for me. Bah.

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Apr 08, 2012 James rated it 1 of 5 stars

Recommended to James by: gift from Michaela

Shelves: books-left-unfinished

I wanted to like this book. I have done some reading about the Jackson era and being intrigued by the little I had read, the prospect of 300 plus pages on Jackson left me expectant. This is a very poorly written book. During first sixty pages, the author jumps decades from one paragraph to the next with little to connect them - just an odd collection of anecdotes.

But what is highly annoying is the author's penchant to fantasize about what someone was thinking, presenting it as fact. "Emily was t...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Mike Gottert rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, history, us-history

Jon Meacham’s American Lion is a biography of Andrew Jackson that concentrates on his time in the White House while giving some coverage to the time before and after. Meacham concentrates on the personal relationships between Jackson, his advisors, and his cabinet. These relationships played a surprising role in determining public policy.[return][return]Many of the features of the presidency that we take for granted had their start with Jackson. He believed the power of the Presidency should be...more

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Mar 28, 2009 Deb rated it 3 of 5 stars

Biographies of American presidents are not usually on my reading list, but an observation that I bear a familial resemblance to his image on an old $20 bill sparked my curiosity. I own that this is a frivolous reason to choose a book.

Jackson rose to the presidency at a contentious time in history. Preservation of the union, role of state vs. federal rights, American Indian land rights, relations with France, Mexico and Britain, and control of the banking system were central challenges during his...more

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Mar 11, 2009 Randy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I heard the author, Jon Meacham, give two radio interviews, so I was really looking forward to reading his book.

But I am somewhat disappointed.

Mr. Meacham focuses his book on Andrew Jackson's presidency; so he quickly glosses over the rest of his life. As a result I never understood what motivated Jackson.

For example: Mr. Meacham devotes about 1/3 of his book to the "Eaton Affair." And yet I never understood why Jackson was so loyal to Eaton.
Also, Mr. Meacham describes Jackson's war against the...more

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Feb 25, 2009 Bob added it Recommends it for: teachers, history buffs, voters

As a new American president takes the stage, reading a history of an American president some 180 years prior is an enlightening joy.
Watching Barack Obama utilize his mandate from the 2008 election has been the perfect backdrop for going back in time to learn how -- in 1828 and during the eight years of two terms Andrew Jackson showed many U.S. presidents how the power of the presidency might be used to lead.
A youth during the War of Independence, a hero of the War of 1812 and a renown Indian fig...more

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Feb 20, 2009 Ann rated it 2 of 5 stars

I certainly learned about an American president that I was not familiar with. However, I was disappointed in the way the book was written ... it seemed like the author left some important information out and gave way too much information in other areas. I could have done without so much time spent on Marg. Eaton and her scandalous effect on the Jackson amdministration ... and would have liked more discussion on what led to the Indian crisis and why Jackson dealt with it the way he did.
The man...more

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Feb 10, 2009 Bill rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an excellent account not only of Andrew Jackson's life, but also of his influence on the office of President of the United States. Briefly, he invented the modern idea of the presidency: the strong executive who can, does, and should communicate directly with the people. He was the seventh president. Among them, the first six had issued only nine vetoes. Jackson broke that mold in his first term and established the presidency as a true check on the power of Congress.

His was a complex and...more

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Dec 31, 2008 Richard rated it 5 of 5 stars

I can't say I remember enough about Andrew Jackson from my schooling (vague recollections of having read "Age of Jackson" in prep school) to know how fair is this portrayal. Jon Meacham clearly admires Jackson and has written a positive accounting of his presidency. I'd put this biography in the category of McCullough's "John Adams," Isaacson's "Benjamin Franklin" and "Einstein," and Goodwin's "Team of Rivals." But as all good books do, Meacham has made me curious to read and know more about Jac...more

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Dec 27, 2008 Felix rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another work of American History by Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham. Rather than a biography of Jackson's life, Meacham's book examines his presidency in light of Jackson's character and convictions.

I liked this book very much, and couldn't help drawing parallels between Jackson's time and our own. Timely for this book to come out just after a presidential campaign in which the role of the president, the limits of authority and the concern for the average American were often cited. Jackson's two suc...more

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Dec 18, 2008 John rated it 5 of 5 stars

A lively and intimate portrayal of our 7th President when the United States consisted of just 24 states. Jackson was instrumental in our expansionist manifest destiny in terms of the removal of numerous American Indian tribes to the frontier, west of the Mississippi and a staunch defender of the embedded institution of Slavery. The zeal with which he advanced these two positions caused no internal conflict for him either as a human being or as President. Instead, he stressed that the abolition o...more A lively and intimate portrayal of our 7th President when the United States consisted of just 24 states. Jackson was instrumental in our expansionist manifest destiny in terms of the removal of numerous American Indian tribes to the frontier, west of the Mississippi and a staunch defender of the embedded institution of Slavery. The zeal with which he advanced these two positions caused no internal conflict for him either as a human being or as President. Instead, he stressed that the abolition of slavery was a threat to the stability of the Republic. As President he was a powerful force in the preservation of the Union but the equality, as enumerated in the Constitution and to which he swore so much allegiance and ardently defended, did not extend to red or black men. Put in historical context: Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Tyler, Polk and Taylor owned Slaves while in Office; Van Buren, W.H. Harrison, Andrew Johnson and Grant also owned slaves but not while in office.

The coverage of the Tariff and Bank issues here were not very interesting to me. The Nullification problem, however, initiated by South Carolina and Jackson’s own Vice President John C. Calhoun, with possible secession and war is critical to an understanding of the time and future events. Of course these causes continued to fester throughout the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and were in extreme crises for our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln.

Sadly, Jackson’s wife Rachel died shortly before he assumed Office so he brought with him to Washington from Tennessee Andrew Jackson Donelson, his nephew, to be his Private Secretary and Emily Tennessee Donelson, his niece, to be his Social Secretary. Andrew and Emily, eight years apart in age, were married to each other and first cousins. In the book I finished just before this one, Jesse James married his first cousin too.

The story of Emily was captivating. Jackson was 62 and Emily 22 when she became his Social Secretary and unofficial First Lady of the White House in 1829 and served in these capacities until her death of Tuberculosis in 1836. “Jackson admired women – as well as men – of courage, and he was loyal to those he loved. He liked Emily’s spirit.” She was a courageous lady and while residing in the White House with Andrew and serving the President, she even had time to raise a family and give birth to four children. Andrew and Emily’s presence provided the familial love, warmth and stability which mediated the querulous impulses of President Jackson. I liked Emily and Jackson would have been adrift without her.

This is not a book about the politics of Andrew Jackson but a more personal account of his life and times set against the tableau of his Presidency and to that end was an excellent and instructive read.

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May 17, 2013 Jason rated it 3 of 5 stars

Andrew Jackson is arguably, one of the most influential Americans, not just as a politician, but as a driver of American life and culture, in the history of the republic. American Lion is a character driven exposition of Jackson’s Presidency, showing how Jackson’s chronological decisions were driven by his character and how so many were influenced by the force of nature of his personality. With only a short introduction of Jackson’s eventful pre Presidential life (about 50 pages), this work plun...more Andrew Jackson is arguably, one of the most influential Americans, not just as a politician, but as a driver of American life and culture, in the history of the republic. American Lion is a character driven exposition of Jackson’s Presidency, showing how Jackson’s chronological decisions were driven by his character and how so many were influenced by the force of nature of his personality. With only a short introduction of Jackson’s eventful pre Presidential life (about 50 pages), this work plunges into a whirl of Jackson reacting and mostly driving events in the government and around the nation in the 4th decade of the 19th century.

Meacham, a journalist and writer, who has long been interested in the intersection of culture, religion and science on the great men of American public life, is primarily interested in Jackson as one who remains intent, throughout his life, in driving and controlling events, by his own will. With Jackson, a man orphaned in the Carolina backcountry at the beginning of the republic, Meacham paints the picture of a man determined to never have anyone dictate terms in life to him, and seeing everything as a contest of wills among alpha males, and Jackson seeing himself as either a protector or fighter, to everyone he comes in contact with.

The main events in Jackson’s Presidency that Meacham focuses on are the so-called Petticoat affair, ending in the sacking of Jackson’s entire cabinet, the nullification crisis with Jackson’s birth state of South Carolina (a state that Jackson never looked back on after early adulthood), the banking crisis and issues regarding Indian removal and slavery. The overriding concept in all these events was that Jackson, in his fiery Ulster Scot temperament, wanted nothing more that to force his idea of what America could be on the nation. As the nation’s first true populist leader from the rising backcountry, representing the expanding white middle class beyond the coast, Jackson never lacked for allies, and he made some of the best early uses of media control and description with what looked like early public relations and communications management.

Because this book drives so much of its narrative from a character driven approach to Jackson’s Presidency, the reader who comes to it unfamiliar with the background to the Bank of the US, or the rise of the slave abolition movement, or why Jackson was so unbending regarding his promises about Indian removal, could be quite loss at the particulars of the event, and will remain stuck within the force of Jackson’s personality, guiding events from his White House office. As such, while this volume is interesting as a leadership study from a certain angle, because it lacks so much exterior context, while adding so much narrative to Jackson’s personal life with his family, the unacquainted reader could come away quite confused at why events were happening the way that they were. It is in some respects, presented as a pageant of Jackson, without much background.

The chapters regarding Jackson’s later life, as he finally realizes the consequences of his relentless pushing of his will on others, as he undergoes a serious religious transformation are explored in interesting ways, and Jackson, in Meacham’s writing, takes on a bit of the archetype of a Southerner with a Christ haunted echo through his whole life. I do think there are much better histories of Jackson, particularly Remini’s abridged version, because a reader unfamiliar with Jackson could come to this work confused, and a familiar reader could come to this volume and find a real sense of frustration with how this information is presented.
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Mar 12, 2013 David Beeson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It’s a great biography that is so honest with the evidence that it can support different views of its subject, even if they are at odds with the biographer's own.

Jon Meacham argues, in An American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, for a view of Jackson as one of the great presidents and he’s far from alone in taking that stance. Less than a week after the death of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, it’s salutary to be reminded of another great populist figure who divided people in his time, and se...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Frank Stein rated it 3 of 5 stars

A somewhat disappointing read. Despite winning the Pulitzer, and receiving rave reviews from journalists, writers, and academic historians alike, this book seems unable to place Jackson in the wider swath of American history, or to demonstrate his real significance in it.

Meacham clearly embarked upon this book after the discovery of some previously unknown personal letters and effects, always essential to justify re-telling an oft-told tale. These new letters are mainly to and from some of his T...more
A somewhat disappointing read. Despite winning the Pulitzer, and receiving rave reviews from journalists, writers, and academic historians alike, this book seems unable to place Jackson in the wider swath of American history, or to demonstrate his real significance in it.

Meacham clearly embarked upon this book after the discovery of some previously unknown personal letters and effects, always essential to justify re-telling an oft-told tale. These new letters are mainly to and from some of his Tennessee friends, and especially the family of his private secretary Andrew Donelson, whom Jackson, orphaned at a young age and later childless, loved like a son and hoped would one day would succeed him to the Presidency. The problem is that much of Jackson and Donelson's relationship, at least that part which can be seen through correspondence, was blindingly dull, composed of mutual expressions of love and admiration, and of fealty and loyalty.

These letters do help make Meacham's case that Jackson's obsession with being a father to his country as well as to his immediate household was a driving part of his personality, and shaped his time in office. After all the whole kerfuffle that resulted when Donelson's wife, Emily, refused to interact with Peggy Eaton, the wife of the Secretary of War, is perhaps the most significant instance we know of how the "personal is political" and provides ample evidence of how Jackson's protectiveness of his house (in this case the White House) had real political ramifications. Yet not only does this book add little to previous accounts of this incident, after Jackson dissolves his cabinet over it in 1831 there is much less to say on these matters. So Meacham gives short shrift to even such essential moments in Jackson's presidency as the "Species Circular" or the Bank "Distribution Bill," to focus instead on letters back and forth to chums around his Hermitage estate.

I learned a little from this book, and it did help place Jackson's whole term of office in a clear timeline for me, but left me wanting a fuller and richer pictures of this crucial period.(less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Sheri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Despite having read much about some of our Presidents & founding fathers (e.g., Jefferson, Washington, Adams, Franklin, Lincoln, Grant), I knew relatively little about Jackson. Knew he was a war hero from the War of 1812 against the Brits. Knew he was an "Indian fighter." Knew he was from Tennessee and our first "frontier President." Knew he opposed the national bank. That was about it. Meacham's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Jackson has added substantially to my understanding of Jacks...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Brad rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jackson usually is praised for his vision of the presidency and commitment to the Federal Union, while simultaneously lamented for his megalomania and racism. Meacham takes these subjects on without reservation (though he would reject my use of the word 'megalomania' I suspect). In Meacham's account, Jackson is at his very best while staring down the threat to the union posed by the Nullification Movement which arose in South Carolina and was championed by John C. Calhoun. He is at his worst whe...more Jackson usually is praised for his vision of the presidency and commitment to the Federal Union, while simultaneously lamented for his megalomania and racism. Meacham takes these subjects on without reservation (though he would reject my use of the word 'megalomania' I suspect). In Meacham's account, Jackson is at his very best while staring down the threat to the union posed by the Nullification Movement which arose in South Carolina and was championed by John C. Calhoun. He is at his worst when orchestrating the removal of the native american populations of Georgia and Alabama to regions west of the Mississippi River. And his megalomania is at its fullest when he convinces himself that he is acting in the best interests of the indians, indeed, as their protecting father.

Meacham is eloquent in his description of the petticoat wars of Jackson's first administration and the bitter fight over the national bank that dominated the early part of his second administration. While not offering anything highly original on this subject (as far as I can tell as a first time reader on Jackson), Meacham details how Jackson's vision of the role of the presidency was instrumental in re-defining and strengthening the executive branch of government against fears, deeply seated in the pre-war experience with King George, that the emergence of a strong president would undermine the American democracy.

Meacham keeps the psychoanalysis of Jackson to a minimum, but does tend to explain Jackson's motivations in psychological terms. For example, as an orphan, Jackson often is depicted as acting to create a stable household for himself. Similarly, he is described as understanding his role as President to be a father figure to the people and a bulwark against the rich and privileged. To his credit, Meacham does not overdo this sort of thing, and his restraint in this regard contributes to the pleasure of reading his book, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize.

I might also say that this book focuses on Jackson's years in the White House, 1829 to 1836. It is a compliment to Meacham that I now want to locate a good biography describing Jackson's years before the White House. One suspects those years, when Jackson may have committed bigamy and fought duels, indian wars and the Battle of New Orleans, will make the White House years look dull as mashed potatoes in comparison. But there is nothing dull about Meacham's book. It is a very fine biography and an engrossing introduction to a complicated and important subject.(less)

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Sep 26, 2012 Regina Lindsey rated it 3 of 5 stars

The perception of Andrew Jackson today is that of a brash, fighting frontiersman that treated the Indians harshly yet has been conferred the title "Father of Democracy." These are all accurate depictions. However, Meacham deftly cautions the reader against the same mistakes Jackson's foes made: don't underestimate the complexity and intelligence of the man.

Meacham makes the case that the loss of Jackson's family during the Revolutionary War laid the foundation for a life-long need to substitut...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Dan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Andrew Jackson, in Meacham's estimation, lays claim to being the father of the modern Presidency. Prior to Jackson, the office was understood as being indirectly elected with powers rigorously checked by Congress. Jackson through personal popularity and force of will made the executive into a co-equal branch of government. Because of this governing model's need for coordinated support nationally, he molded his allies into the Democratic Party, moving the polity away from the founders' vision of...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Manny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Andrew Jackson "old hickory" was an amazing man. In addition to being a war hero is one of the most famous battles of all times (Battle of New Orleans), he was also a Fraternal Brother. He was our seventh President of these united states. During his term of 1828, his Vice President was John C. Calhoun and in 1832, his VP was Marten Van Buren. His wife Rachel Jackson died just before the inauguration of Jackson. The book covers the "scandal" of that time regarding Rachel's first husband (Lewis Ro...more Andrew Jackson "old hickory" was an amazing man. In addition to being a war hero is one of the most famous battles of all times (Battle of New Orleans), he was also a Fraternal Brother. He was our seventh President of these united states. During his term of 1828, his Vice President was John C. Calhoun and in 1832, his VP was Marten Van Buren. His wife Rachel Jackson died just before the inauguration of Jackson. The book covers the "scandal" of that time regarding Rachel's first husband (Lewis Robards) of which Rachel was still married to when her and Andrew Jackson married. The attacks on Rachel, his late wife by his political adversaries well passed the elections. Jackson suffered greatly with the loss of Rachel.

Jackson's controversy did not end there. The book covers how Mr. Jackson elevated the executive branch's power unconstitutionally which Abraham Lincoln used as a justification to usurp the Constitution and declare a war against a group of states that no longer agreed with how the Central Government was doing things. One thing is a fact, he did do away with the central bank of these united states.

"Gentlemen, I have had men watching you for a long time and I am convinced that you have used the funds of the bank to speculate in the breadstuffs of the country. When you won, you divided the profits amongst you, and when you lost, you charged it to the bank. You tell me that if I take the deposits from the bank and annul its charter, I shall ruin ten thousand families. That may be true gentlemen, but that is your sin! Should I let you go on, you will ruin fifty thousand families, and that would be my sin! You are a den of vipers and thieves."

Jackson did not agree that nullification was allowed or proper. I disagree with him, however he stood his ground when it came to this particular subject.

In general, the book is exceptionally well written. The book is engaging and if you enjoy biographies, you will not be disappointed with this gem.

Ironically although Jackson despised the central bank and disagreed with what it was doing, today we have Jackson's face on a "Federal" "Reserve" note.

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May 23, 2012 William rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was a very interesting read. I started reading it because Andrew Jackson is one of my favorite presidents. I knew I liked his standing on money, credit and central banks. I had no idea he was also such a dynamic man. I found this book to be lacking in its coverage of Jackson's fight against the central bank. As one of his presidency's biggest issues, the author barely scratches the surface of what proved to be a dirt and hard fought battle against Nicholas Biddle and his apologists. I...more

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May 08, 2012 Carl Brush rated it 5 of 5 stars

It’s been quite a while since I glommed on to a good biography, so American Lion was a welcome start to 2009. The Marco Polo I closed off last year with (Dec. 28 comments) was a bit of a disappointment, but not Jon Meacham’s look at Andrew Jackson.
Most of us, I guess, know Jackson was called “Old Hickory.” that he won the battle of New Orleans during (actually shortly after, but he didn’t know that.) the war of 1812, and that he was a feisty and combative soul. Some of us who read the Irving S...more It’s been quite a while since I glommed on to a good biography, so American Lion was a welcome start to 2009. The Marco Polo I closed off last year with (Dec. 28 comments) was a bit of a disappointment, but not Jon Meacham’s look at Andrew Jackson.
Most of us, I guess, know Jackson was called “Old Hickory.” that he won the battle of New Orleans during (actually shortly after, but he didn’t know that.) the war of 1812, and that he was a feisty and combative soul. Some of us who read the Irving Stone novel (not me) or saw the 1953 film, The President’s Lady (I vaguely remember it.) know that there was a scandal involving his wife. However, not having studied this period of history for decades, the events and characters of 1830’s American politics were a scattered jumble. Meacham turns it all into a story with a compelling cast and abundant reminders how delicate a structure this country was. (Is?)
Congressional chambers of the time were filled with the magnificent rhetoric of John Calhoun, Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster as well as a large and capable supporting cast. South Carolina (Calhoun’s territory) advanced its philosophy of nullification nearly to the point of civil war. As it was to be in 1860, Charleston Harbor was the military and political center of action. We had a national bank, much more powerful than our current FED, where the government kept its money and which Jackson managed to dismantle and thus avoid the evolution of a plutocratic fourth branch of government. Jackson believed the president the true representative of the people (as opposed to senators who at the time were elected by state legislatures) and thus empowered to do things and do them in a way which no previous president had dared. For his efforts he was cheered as the first peoples’ president and vilified as a tyrant out to usurp the constitution.
We might see some of his moves as authoritarian today. He had his own newspaper, for example, published and edited largely by one Francis Preston Blair, late of Kentucky (Henry Clay’s state) who became a decades long fixture in Washington politics for decades, and who built the house across the street from the White House now known as The Blair House and which is used to house visitors and is often residence of the vice-president It was lately in the news because Obama wanted to stay there before the inauguration beginning January 3, but was refused entry because it was already booked. And you say history has nothing to do with the present.
All great people (meaning those of significant, transforming deeds and personalities) have contradictions. Jackson’s were extreme. He wanted to expand suffrage, but saw it only for white males. He wanted to take care of the common man, but that meant only common white men. He was an unapologetic slaver, purged much of the country of what was left of Indians, did it cruelly and deceptively, and felt that he had done and was doing the best thing for everyone.
In his personal life, he could be loving and vindictive by turns and to the same people. He inspired devotion even among those he mistreated, and hatred among those he savaged.
He was a transformative figure because he changed the office he occupied for eight years. Never afterwards was the president a caretaker subservient to congress or the courts. But he was not simply a “decider.” “Our Federal Union--It Must Be Preserved” is a toast with which he once challenged his adversary Calhoun, and the words are inscribed on the statue which stands in Lafayette Square across from the White House. Small minds make decisions that hurt under the delusion that they have “Mission Accomplished.” Great minds have goals that matter and know where and when and how to fight for them.
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Apr 17, 2012 Gary Hoggatt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, all-non-fiction, history-bio-19th-century

Jon Meacham's 2008 biography American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House brings to life the sometimes overlooked seventh president of the United States and focuses on the controversies and challenges he faced during his presidency. Though best known for winning the Battle of New Orleans during (or, rather, after) the War of 1812, Meacham's Pulitzer Prize winning book shows that Andrew Jackson's presidency was a crucial period for the young republic in many ways.

Though American Lion focuses...more Jon Meacham's 2008 biography American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House brings to life the sometimes overlooked seventh president of the United States and focuses on the controversies and challenges he faced during his presidency. Though best known for winning the Battle of New Orleans during (or, rather, after) the War of 1812, Meacham's Pulitzer Prize winning book shows that Andrew Jackson's presidency was a crucial period for the young republic in many ways.

Though American Lion focuses on Jackson's presidential years, it opens with a solid, if brief, recounting of his early life and career. Meacham doesn't go into great detail or spend too much time on Jackson's early years, but I felt Meacham explored that period well enough for me to understand Jackson's background and how it affected his presidency. It wouldn't suffice for a full biography of Jackson, but it does the trick here.

Meacham's coverage of Jackson's early presidency focuses heavily on the Eaton affair. Briefly put, the wives of the other cabinet Secretaries didn't like the wife of Secretary of Defense John Eaton, and it caused major problems. This part does drag a bit, seeming to occupy more attention than it warrants. However, one gets the feeling that that's probably how it seemed at the time, too, so at least there's that. It does effectively show the impact of personal relationships on the highest level of politics, and the complete overhaul of the cabinet Jackson eventually undertook to solve the problem was unprecedented and caused some political problems for him, so - as trivial as it seems - it is important.

Two of the crucial issues of Jackson's presidency do get full coverage. The Nullification Crisis, in which South Carolina nearly sparked Civil War three decades early by threatening to ignore federal tariff laws, is a major focus, and Jackson's careful handling of the crisis is exciting. Many of the themes of the Nullification Crisis resurface during the Civil War, so it's very interesting to see early previews of them here. Abraham Lincoln himself looked to Jackson's response to South Carolina for guidance in his own trials.

The other major conflict well-covered by Meacham is Jackson's destruction the Second Bank of the United States. Jackson felt that the Bank, with its access to the public's money and interest in perpetuating itself, was corrupting the political process in favor of the established powers to the disadvantage of the people. Naturally, the Bank and its allies in Congress put up a fight, and it took several confrontations for Jackson to eventually win out. Maybe it's my particular combination of interests, but I enjoyed this part of the book quite a bit.

Indian removal is the other major "accomplishment" for which Jackson is remembered, and Meacham covers it, though not in as great of detail as the above topics. The approach Meacham takes is to acknowledge the unfairness and brutality of it, but essentially puts it down to Jackson being narrowly focused on the concerns of white Americans and that that was the prevailing view at the time. More pages ought to have been dedicated to this topic, given its impact and the black mark it left on American history.

American Lion is an excellent, if not perfect, look at Andrew Jackson. I'd have preferred less about Washington society and more about Indian removal, but overall it's a very interesting read and good introduction to Jackson. Meacham definitely piqued my curiosity, and I really enjoyed his coverage of the Nullification Crisis and the Bank War. I would read more from Meacham, and plan to read more on Jackson and his era. American Lion does a fine job of showing that there's plenty of history between the Revolution and the Civil War worth reading about. (less)

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Jul 29, 2011 Joey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overall, the book’s tone was just a hair more “journalistic” than I prefer; the author, Jonathan Meacham, is the editor of Newsweek magazine, and this, I believe, contributed to the book’s slightly sensational flavor, vice a more grounded academic tone. One element of Meacham’s style was his tendency to insert his own judgments into the text, styling those judgments as dispassionate truth compared to the skewed decisions and views of those mired in the passions and shortsightedness of Jackson’s...more Overall, the book’s tone was just a hair more “journalistic” than I prefer; the author, Jonathan Meacham, is the editor of Newsweek magazine, and this, I believe, contributed to the book’s slightly sensational flavor, vice a more grounded academic tone. One element of Meacham’s style was his tendency to insert his own judgments into the text, styling those judgments as dispassionate truth compared to the skewed decisions and views of those mired in the passions and shortsightedness of Jackson’s time period. Still, the book was well written, insightful, and illuminating of Jackson’s character and his role in the progression of the institution of the American presidency.

Without question in my estimation, Jackson gave birth to the strong, central presidency that dominates American politics today. Before his time, the president was viewed as a watchman who did little but ensure that Congress acted appropriately and the judiciary stayed in line. Jackson, however, forever changed the presidency, asserting that the president represents the will of the people and should defend that will, when necessary, from any corruption or mistakenness in the other branches of government. To this end, he surrounded himself with hand-picked (unelected) advisors in line with his thinking, he wielded the veto as a political weapon, and he organized a robust and aggressive political party to spin his views to the public and disparage those of his opponents.

I don’t disagree that this construction of the presidency has merit, and has even been instrumental at critical junctures in American history, such as the Civil War, industrialization, and the Great Depression. The dexterity of the presidency to carry out its will without the inefficient back-and-forth of Congressional bickering was essential at those times. Still, there is much to lament about Jackson’s style. His absolute conviction that he was always right was, at best, annoying, and, at worst, downright destructive. He was fortunate that innumerable factors combined to vindicate his positions and efforts; other presidents with similar aversions to being wrong, such as George W. Bush, have not been as fortunate and have thus done great damage to our country. Additionally, Jackson’s assemblage of the first iteration of the modern political party is lamentable indeed. In my opinion, these large organizations were set up to seek the good of the party rather than the good of the people, and the partisanship and obscuring of truth and right that they propagate are shameful.

Jackson may have been a shrewd politician, but he was not a good leader or manager. I believe the best leaders listen to a variety of viewpoints, show respect in word and deed, and remain pragmatic in their decision-making as they understand different situations call for different solutions. Jackson could be pragmatic, but he struggled to entertain viewpoints apart from his own. He abided by the rules formulated by the founders so long as they suited his interests. He flouted them, using careful rhetoric to cloak his moves in shrouds of fictitious legitimacy, if they constrained him. Though I believe the government framed by the founders was intended to flex through changing times and crises, I don’t believe it was meant to serve individual whims and advance individual agendas.

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Jul 27, 2011 Michael Johnston rated it 3 of 5 stars

Moderately interesting and well written account of the life and Presidency of Andrew Jackson. I didn't have much knowledge of Jackson when I began the book, but my perception of him was that he did not rank among the greatest of American presidents. After reading the book... I felt exactly the same way. Seemingly he left two significant marks on American society. First, he helped define the power of the modern American Presidency by consolidating significant power in the executive branch. Second...more

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About Jon Meacham

Jon Meacham is the editor of Newsweek, a Pulitzer Prize winning bestselling author and a commentator on politics, history, and religious faith in America.

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“Always take all the time to reflect that circumstances permit, but when the time for action has come, stop thinking. (Andrew Jackson)” — 8 people liked it

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