Us Presidents Popular Books

Us Presidents Biography & Facts

The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term via the Electoral College. The officeholder leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. Since the office was established in 1789, 45 men have served in 46 presidencies. The first president, George Washington, won a unanimous vote of the Electoral College. Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms and is therefore counted as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, giving rise to the discrepancy between the number of presidencies and the number of individuals who have served as president. The presidency of William Henry Harrison, who died 31 days after taking office in 1841, was the shortest in American history. Franklin D. Roosevelt served the longest, over twelve years, before dying early in his fourth term in 1945. He is the only U.S. president to have served more than two terms. Since the ratification of the Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1951, no person may be elected president more than twice, and no one who has served more than two years of a term to which someone else was elected may be elected more than once. Four presidents died in office of natural causes (William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Warren G. Harding, and Franklin D. Roosevelt), four were assassinated (Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy), and one resigned (Richard Nixon, facing impeachment and removal from office). John Tyler was the first vice president to assume the presidency during a presidential term, and set the precedent that a vice president who does so becomes the fully functioning president with his own administration. Throughout most of its history, American politics has been dominated by political parties. The Constitution is silent on the issue of political parties, and at the time it came into force in 1789, no organized parties existed. Soon after the 1st Congress convened, political factions began rallying around dominant Washington administration officials, such as Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Concerned about the capacity of political parties to destroy the fragile unity holding the nation together, Washington remained unaffiliated with any political faction or party throughout his eight-year presidency. He was, and remains, the only U.S. president never affiliated with a political party. The incumbent president is Joe Biden, who assumed office on January 20, 2021. Presidents See also Acting President of the United States Founding Fathers of the United States List of vice presidents of the United States President of the Continental Congress Notes References Works cited External links Media related to President of the United States at Wikimedia Commons Quotations related to List of presidents of the United States at Wikiquote. Discover the Us Presidents popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Us Presidents books.

Best Seller Us Presidents Books of 2024

  • Zero Fail synopsis, comments

    Zero Fail

    Carol Leonnig

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “This is one of those books that will go down as the seminal workthe determinative workin this field. . . . Terrifying.”Rachel MaddowThe first definitive...

  • Absolute Power synopsis, comments

    Absolute Power

    David Baldacci

    When burglar Luther Whitney breaks into a Virginia mansion, he witnesses a brutal crime involving the president a man who believes he can get away with anything and now, Luther m...

  • The New Big Book of U.S. Presidents 2020 Edition synopsis, comments

    The New Big Book of U.S. Presidents 2020 Edition

    Running Press

    Updated for 2020, readers can easily relive the course of American history through a detailed timeline, more than 50 vivid photographs and illustrations, information about each pre...

  • Unbelievable synopsis, comments

    Unbelievable

    Katy Tur

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“Compelling… this book couldn’t be more timely.” – Jill Abramson, New York Times Book Review From the Recipient of the 2017 Walter Cronkite Award for Excel...

  • The Residence synopsis, comments

    The Residence

    Kate Andersen Brower

    “Absolutely delicious.”Washington PostFrom the mystique of the glamorous Kennedys to the tumult that surrounded Bill and Hillary Clinton during the president’s impeachment to the h...

  • Pinheads and Patriots synopsis, comments

    Pinheads and Patriots

    Bill O'Reilly

    Television host, razor sharp political pundit, and #1 bestselling author Bill O’Reilly focuses in on where we all stand in the Age of Obama in Pinheads and Patriots. In this brave,...

  • The Plot Against the President synopsis, comments

    The Plot Against the President

    Lee Smith

    Investigative journalist Lee Smith uses his unprecedented access to Congressman Devin Nunes, former head of the House Intelligence Committee, to expose the deep state operation aga...

  • The Kennedy Detail synopsis, comments

    The Kennedy Detail

    Gerald Blaine

    The New York Times bestselling and extraordinary true story of the critical events leading up to and following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, as told by the Secret...

  • Truman synopsis, comments

    Truman

    David McCullough

    The Pulitzer Prize–winning biography of Harry S. Truman, whose presidency included momentous events from the atomic bombing of Japan to the outbreak of the Cold War and the Korean ...

  • Dereliction of Duty synopsis, comments

    Dereliction of Duty

    H. R. McMaster

    "The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York Times or the college campuses. It was lost in Washington, D.C."  H. R. McMast...

  • John Adams synopsis, comments

    John Adams

    David McCullough

    The Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling biography of America’s founding father and second president that was the basis for the acclaimed HBO series, brilliantly told by master hist...

  • Tiger Woods synopsis, comments

    Tiger Woods

    Jeff Benedict & Armen Keteyian

    “A confident and substantial book...It has torque and velocity...It makes a sweet sound, like a wellstruck golf ball. I found it exhilarating, depressing, tawdry, and moving in alm...

  • The Heart of Everything That Is synopsis, comments

    The Heart of Everything That Is

    Bob Drury & Tom Clavin

    This acclaimed New York Times bestselling biography of the legendary Sioux warrior Red Cloud, is “a pageturner with remarkable immediacy…and the narrative sweep of a great Western”...

  • American Lion synopsis, comments

    American Lion

    Jon Meacham

    The definitive biography of a largerthanlife president who defied norms, divided a nation, and changed Washington foreverAndrew Jackson, his intimate circle of friends, and his tum...

  • Eisenhower in War and Peace synopsis, comments

    Eisenhower in War and Peace

    Jean Edward Smith

    NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Christian Science Monitor St. Louis PostDispatch“Magisterial.”The New York Times   In this extraordinary volume, Jean Edward Sm...

  • American Wife synopsis, comments

    American Wife

    Curtis Sittenfeld

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  A gorgeously written novel that weaves class, wealth, race, and fate into a brilliant portrait of a first ladyfrom the author of Rodham and Eligible...

  • Three Days in January synopsis, comments

    Three Days in January

    Bret Baier & Catherine Whitney

    The blockbuster #1 national bestsellerBret Baier, the Chief Political Anchor for Fox News Channel and the Anchor and Executive Editor of Special Report with Bret Baier, illuminates...

  • Destiny of the Republic synopsis, comments

    Destiny of the Republic

    Candice Millard

    NATIONAL BESTSELLER The extraordinary account of James Garfield's rise from poverty to the American presidency, and the dramatic history of his assassination and legacy, from...

  • The Bone Labyrinth synopsis, comments

    The Bone Labyrinth

    James Rollins

    A war is coming, a battle that will stretch from the prehistoric forests of the ancient past to the cuttingedge research labs of today, all to reveal a true mystery buried deep wit...

  • The Passage of Power synopsis, comments

    The Passage of Power

    Robert A. Caro

    Book Four of Robert A. Caro’s monumental The Years of Lyndon Johnson displays all the narrative energy and illuminating insight that led the Times of London to acclaim it as “one o...

  • Game Change synopsis, comments

    Game Change

    John Heilemann & Mark Halperin

    The gripping inside story of the 2008 presidential election, by two of the best political reporters in the country.“It’s one of the best books on politics of any kind I’ve read. Fo...

  • Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates synopsis, comments

    Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates

    Brian Kilmeade & Don Yaeger

    “Another blockbuster! Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates reads like an edgeofyourseat, pageturning thriller. You will love this book and also wonder why so few people know th...

  • Decision Points synopsis, comments

    Decision Points

    George W. Bush

    #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  In this candid and gripping memoir, President George W. Bush describes the critical decisions that shaped his presidency and personal l...

  • Demonic synopsis, comments

    Demonic

    Ann Coulter

    The demon is a mob, and the mob is demonic. The Democratic Party activates mobs, depends on mobs, coddles mobs, publicizes and celebrates mobsit is the mob. Sweeping in its scope a...

  • U.S. Presidents synopsis, comments

    U.S. Presidents

    Ken Jennings

    Become a presidential pro with this interactive trivia book from Jeopardy! champ and New York Times bestselling author Ken Jennings.With this book about U.S. Presidents, you’ll bec...

  • Destiny and Power synopsis, comments

    Destiny and Power

    Jon Meacham

    #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  In this brilliant biography, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Jon Meacham chronicles the life of George Herbert Walker Bush.NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BES...

  • A Promised Land synopsis, comments

    A Promised Land

    Barack Obama

    A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the makingfrom the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NAACP IMAGE AWARD N...

  • Mornings on Horseback synopsis, comments

    Mornings on Horseback

    David McCullough

    The National Book Award–winning biography that tells the story of how young Teddy Roosevelt transformed himself from a sickly boy into the vigorous man who would become a war hero ...

  • Landslide synopsis, comments

    Landslide

    Michael Wolff

    An instant New York Times bestseller. Critics agree: Michael Wolff’s Landslide is THE book on Trump.“Landslide . . . is the one to leap upon. Smart, vivid and intrepid . . .” The N...

  • The Only Plane in the Sky synopsis, comments

    The Only Plane in the Sky

    Garrett M. Graff

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“This is history at its most immediate and moving…A marvelous and memorable book.” Jon Meacham​“Remarkable…A priceless civic gift…On page after page, a rea...

  • The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt synopsis, comments

    The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt

    Edmund Morris

    WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE AND THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD One of Modern Library’s 100 best nonfiction books of all time One of Esquire’s 50 best biographies of all time“A tow...

  • Garfield Meets Five Presidents synopsis, comments

    Garfield Meets Five Presidents

    Jim Davis

    This version contains a rich exploration of five key presidents in U.S. history. Join Garfield as he presents the facts, stats, and totally true trivia on five major U.S. president...

  • How to Fight Presidents synopsis, comments

    How to Fight Presidents

    Daniel O'Brien & Winston Rowntree

    Make no mistake: Our founding fathers were more bandanasandmuscles than powderedwigsandtea.  As a prisoner of war, Andrew Jackson walked several miles barefoot across state li...

  • And There Was Light synopsis, comments

    And There Was Light

    Jon Meacham

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer Jon Meacham chronicles the life of Abraham Lincoln, charting howand whyhe confronted secession, threats to democra...

  • The Unwinding synopsis, comments

    The Unwinding

    George Packer

    NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNERA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOKAN NPR BEST BOOK Selected by New York Times' critic Dwight Garner as a Favorite Book A Washingto...

  • Russian Roulette synopsis, comments

    Russian Roulette

    Michael Isikoff & David Corn

    The incredible, harrowing account of how American democracy was hacked by Moscow as part of a covert operation to influence the U.S. election and help Donald Trump gain the preside...

  • Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents synopsis, comments

    Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents

    Cormac O'Brien & Monika Suteski

    Murder, Adultery, Gambling, UFOs And the White House?!?   Your high school history teachers never gave you a book like this one! Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents features ...

  • The First Family Detail synopsis, comments

    The First Family Detail

    Ronald Kessler

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER   “Ron Kessler appears to get everything first.”Slate As in a play, presidents, vice presidents, and presidential candidates perform onstage for...

  • I Alone Can Fix It synopsis, comments

    I Alone Can Fix It

    Carol Leonnig & Philip Rucker

    The instant #1 New York Times bestseller | A Washington Post Notable Book | One of NPR's Best Books of 2021The definitive behindthescenes story of Trump's final year in office, by ...

  • The First Conspiracy synopsis, comments

    The First Conspiracy

    Brad Meltzer & Josh Mensch

    Taking place during the most critical period of our nation’s birth, The First Conspiracy tells a remarkable and previously untold piece of American history that not only reveals Ge...

  • Kill Alex Cross synopsis, comments

    Kill Alex Cross

    James Patterson

    With relentless danger around every corner, Detective Alex Cross is hunting down a kidnapper . . . but only if someone powerful doesn't kill him first.The President's son and daugh...

  • The Path to Power synopsis, comments

    The Path to Power

    Robert A. Caro

    The Years of Lyndon Johnson is the political biography of our time. No presidentno era of American politicshas been so intensively and sharply examined at a time when so many prime...

  • Mrs. Kennedy and Me synopsis, comments

    Mrs. Kennedy and Me

    Clint Hill

    The #1 New York Times bestselling memoir by Clint Hill that Kirkus Reviews called “clear and honest prose free from salaciousness and gossip,” Jackie Kennedy’s personal Secret Serv...

  • Manhunt synopsis, comments

    Manhunt

    James L. Swanson

    Soon to be an Apple TV+ Series“A terrific narrative of the hunt for Lincoln’s killers that will mesmerize the reader from start to finish just as the actual manhunt mesmerized the ...

  • Deep State synopsis, comments

    Deep State

    Chris Hauty

    THE INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER“One of the more surprising doublereverse plot twists...in some time.” The New York TimesIn this “propulsive, pageturning, compelling, fragmentation ...

  • The United States of Trump synopsis, comments

    The United States of Trump

    Bill O'Reilly

    A rare, insider’s look at the life of Donald Trump from Bill O'Reilly, the bestselling author of the Killing series, based on exclusive interview material and deep researchReaders ...