8 Classic American History Biographies

by John Reeves
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8 books
Here’s a list of authoritative and readable biographies on leading figures in American History. All eight of the books achieved critical acclaim and popularity with ordinary readers. Several of them won Pulitzer Prizes and most of them were best sellers. All of these essential books offer an ideal starting point for learning more about the extraordinary lives being examined.
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Frederick Douglass

Prophet of Freedom
David W. Blight, 2020
This definitive biography of Frederick Douglass won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in History. General readers and scholars will both find this book invaluable. I especially enjoyed learning more about Douglass’s private life.

Washington

A Life
Ron Chernow, 2010
One of the best single-volume biographies of George Washington—the “indispensable man of the American Revolution.” Even though Chernow admires this great American hero, he also examines his flaws in this well-written account.

The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery

Eric Foner, 2011
The highly esteemed Civil War scholar Eric Foner provides a timeless portrait of Lincoln that examines his evolution on the subject of slavery. This is my favorite of the many fine biographies of Lincoln. Foner’s mastery of the politics surrounding slavery, before and during the war, is second to none.

Reading the Man

A Portrait of Robert E. Lee Through His Private Lettters
Elizabeth Brown Pryor, Robert Edward Lee, 2007
This is an excellent, though somewhat unusual biography. It doesn’t follow a traditional chronological narrative. Instead, she thoughtfully examines Robert E. Lee’s private papers in detail. Her insights are instructive for readers interested in the Confederate general.

Captain Sam Grant

Lloyd Lewis, 1950
Just a delightful account of Ulysses S. Grant’s early years. Lloyd Lewis is both a sublime writer and a dogged researcher. His detailed accounts of Grant’s experiences at West Point and during the Mexican War are extraordinary.

The Heart of Everything That Is

The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend
Bob Drury, Tom Clavin, 2013
Readers won’t be able to put this one down. The life of Red Cloud, as we learn in this fine book, helps us better understand the struggles of Native Americans on the Northern Plains during the 19th century. A member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, Red Cloud played a prominent role in almost all the critical events of his era.

Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume 1

The Early Years, 1884-1933
Blanche Wiesen Cook, 1993
The historian Blanche Wiesen Cook spent over 25 years on her outstanding three-volume biography of America’s most impactful First Lady. The first volume is a captivating account of Eleanor Roosevelt’s path to the White House. Despite her privileged background, Eleanor struggled to overcome numerous difficulties

The Years of Lyndon Johnson

The passage of power
Robert A. Caro, 2012
Robert Caro has achieved legendary status for his in-depth multi-volume biography of Lyndon Johnson. This volume that describes the period of Johnson’s vice presidency is my favorite so far. I was especially engrossed by Johnson’s bitter rivalry with Robert Kennedy. As always, Caro’s exhaustive research is illuminating.