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 nothi...
read full description
reviews
Jan 23, 2009
Erik
rated it: 
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 More...
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 More...
41 comments
like
(18 people liked it)
Jan 03, 2009
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.
0 comments
like
(4 people liked it)
Jan 26, 2009
Jim
rated it: 
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 appreciati More...
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 appreciati More...
2 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
May 11, 2009
Christine
rated it:
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 abo
More...
Dec 04, 2008
Cassidy
rated it: 
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 ge
More...
2 comments
like
(4 people liked it)
Feb 16, 2009
Sara
rated it:
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.
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Mar 28, 2009
Deb
rated it: 
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 challen More...
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 challen More...
Mar 11, 2009
Randy
rated it:
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.
Al More...
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.
Al More...
Feb 25, 2009
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 renow More...
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 renow More...
Feb 20, 2009
Ann
rated it:
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.
More...
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Feb 10, 2009
Bill
rated it: 
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 c More...
His was a c More...
Jan 16, 2009
James
rated it:
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. More...
But what is highly annoying is the author's penchant to fantasize about what someone was thinking, presenting it as fact. More...
0 comments
like
(3 people liked it)
Dec 31, 2008
Richard
rated it:
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
More...
Dec 27, 2008
Felix
rated it:
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. Jacks More...
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. Jacks More...
Dec 18, 2008
John
rated it:
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...
Nov 12, 2011
Jan
rated it:
A satisfying and comprehensive biography of Andrew Jackson. Extremely well-researched and clearly written by a historian with a sympathy for the man, it gave me a good idea of the president, both as a man with a strong sense of honor and duty, and as an extremely clever politician with an uncanny sense of the right move at the right moment. I appreciate that, while making the case for Jackson as one of the great presidents, and certainly a man who transformed the office, the book did not soft-
More...
Jul 29, 2011
Joey
rated it:
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...
Jul 28, 2011
Michael
rated it:
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. Seco
More...
Jul 27, 2011
Stuart
rated it:
Very readable, digestible, due to its concentration on the 8 years Jackson spent in the White House. The book is well written, in a very accessible style, featuring a certain amount of opinion as well as dry facts. Sometimes biographies are too wide and are relegated to being reference books rather than something you would choose to read. This one reads easily and is all the better for it.
As the first president outside the Virginia / Massachusetts axis, he was a different sort of president. In a More...
As the first president outside the Virginia / Massachusetts axis, he was a different sort of president. In a More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Feb 27, 2011
Josh
rated it:
American Lion is a better than average presidential biography about Andrew Jackson. Having read through several bios recently, I found this one to be more compelling than my last read, A Country of Vast Designs, a seemingly dry policy lecture about the debates of the James K. Polk administration. Jon Meacham describes a believable fatherly figure who took the job of president very personally, vigorously working to protect the country as though it was his own family. The book captures many of the
More...
Feb 10, 2011
Gary
rated it:
I found this volume to be a highly readable and well-researched account of Andrew Jackson's presidency. Meacham states that his purpose is to focus on the interaction of personalities in the Jackson White House, some that he accomplishes very well, including such political luminaries as John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay as well as the impact of women, particularly the scandalous Margaret Eaton and his neice Emily Donnelson, who served as the White House hostess. Looming over everthing was the per
More...
Dec 21, 2010
Stephen
rated it:
In the history of American politics, most, if not all presidents have been men adept at polarizing the citizens of the nation. Many were men who were either loved or hated, with little ground in between the two extremes. In American Lion, Jon Meacham details the presidential life of one such man - Andrew Jackson. Touching on his pre-presidential life only briefly, Meacham details the 8 years Jackson spent in the White House, relying "in part on previously unavailable documents." Meacha
More...
Oct 17, 2010
Laura
rated it:
What a guy Ol' Hickory. I had to keep reminding myself that I needed to view this president from HIS time period--not mine. I have issues with his slave ownership and his treatment of the American Indians. I read this book, in part, to see if I could understand why he held certain views. I do believe I understand him better. Andrew Jackson was a product of his times, hence the slave ownership as a Tennessee plantation owner. He fought very hard against nullification brought forth by the south
More...
Sep 28, 2010
Jrobertus
rated it:
This is a fascinationg narrative about Jackson's life and personality, but also about American history in a generally unfamiliar era of our past. Jackson was raised in difficult times, but his personal strength and determination drove him to the highest office in the land. He was a great patriot and alsways acted in the interests of the American nation. It is easy to misunderstand this slave holding Indian fighter when viewed through a contemorary lens, but Meacham puts you into the Jacksonia
More...
Sep 15, 2010
Robert
rated it:
Jon Meacham revealed the behind the scenes look at how Andrew Jackson changed American politics at a critical time in our history. Jackson was a warrior and took to politics like he did to battle. Determined and clear-headed, he took on the power of Congress and became the first President to make the executive office equal to the other branches. He was the first to campaign on the road, convinced that he was the voice of the common man and needed to be out there with them. He avoided assassi
More...
May 31, 2010
Andy
rated it:
While this is a well written, lively book that explores many aspects of Jackson's life and his times in great depth, I think Meacham's (the author)sympathy towards Jackson prevents him from writing a balanced book. The good parts of the book, the focus on Jackson's fight against the south's nullification movement and his efforts on behalf "the average man" on the economic issues are in contrast to short shrift given to Jackson's shortcomings, his role in protecting slavery and his hor
More...
Mar 04, 2010
Pat
rated it:
In his notes, Meacham says the he did not set out write an "academic" or "full-scale" account of Jackson's life. Rather, he seeks to create a 'Biographical Portrait' based on personal documents; mainly letters from his friends.
Jackson was possibly our most populist and public president. This book focuses so much on his intimate and personal side, the public face and influence of Jackson is completely overlooked. That is ok, surely a modern biographer must s More...
Oct 28, 2009
Joe
rated it:
There are several points I would like to make about this book. First, It was great to read books about Lincoln, TR, and Truman before this one. All of those great presidents always used Jackson as example. S it was interesting to read about the first non-noble, executive power inducing president and see how he set a precedent for all future presidents. I also really enjoyed how the author would not always stick with a chronological time line in a book. To keep certain ideas and relationship
More...
Oct 23, 2009
Brian
rated it:
STATEMENT: I received a free copy of this book thru the GoodReads site to review.
Well, Mr Meacham has done an excellent job researching Andrew Jackson as well as the culture and history surrounding his time in the White House. I cannot fault him in his research... and his book did impress upon me the amount of knowledge that he has acquired on the subject.
However, I was not a fan of the book. I had to force myself to persevere thru its reading. I found it dull, but more More...
Well, Mr Meacham has done an excellent job researching Andrew Jackson as well as the culture and history surrounding his time in the White House. I cannot fault him in his research... and his book did impress upon me the amount of knowledge that he has acquired on the subject.
However, I was not a fan of the book. I had to force myself to persevere thru its reading. I found it dull, but more More...
Oct 04, 2009
Renaissance
rated it:
For a history buff, this is a fine portrayal of a controversial, inconsistent, temperamental president. Yet, he is a dedicated patriot committed to the preservation of the Union and to the fulfillment of his own personal will.
Jackson's story is capably rendered by Jon Meacham, current editor of Newsweek, in a style that is polished and professional, yet easy to read (not a pedantic work). While focusing on Jackson's presidency, it incorporates relevant facts from Jackson's earlier l More...
Jackson's story is capably rendered by Jon Meacham, current editor of Newsweek, in a style that is polished and professional, yet easy to read (not a pedantic work). While focusing on Jackson's presidency, it incorporates relevant facts from Jackson's earlier l More...
