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American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
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American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
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American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
Audiobook (abridged)10 hours

American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

Written by Jon Meacham

Narrated by John H. Mayer

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

The definitive biography of a larger-than-life president who defied norms, divided a nation, and changed Washington forever

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.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateNov 11, 2008
ISBN9780739334591
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American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
Author

Jon Meacham

JON MEACHAM received the Pulitzer Prize for his 2008 biography of Andrew Jackson, American Lion. He is also the author of the New York Times bestsellers Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George H.W. Bush, American Gospel, and Franklin and Winston. Meacham, who teaches at Vanderbilt University, is a fellow of the Society of American Historians. He lives in Nashville with his wife and children.

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Reviews for American Lion

Rating: 3.7396789889908257 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I came away disappointed with this book. I had read two other books by Meacham (biographies on Jefferson and H.W. Bush) and really enjoyed both. This book seem disjointed to me and spent far too much time focusing on the family and social drama around Jackson during his Presidency. I understand that much of that was important, but it seemed like just as things were picking up with important political or foreign aspects of Jackson's administration, there would be a side bar about who was and who was not accepted in Washington society. I have never been a big fan of Andrew Jackson, and this book did nothing to change my opinion.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Andrew Jackson was a bad-ass!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    President Jackson is especially relevant with President Trump at the helm. Never underestimate the damage the chief of state can do.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Incredible figure. Loved the book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Solid biography of the first modern president. His criticism of Jackson's views on slavery seemed perfunctory at best, and had an obligatory feel about them. Meacham firmly took Jackson to task for his treatment and views of American Indians. But I found his larger view of the Jackson presidency as the first developments of the modern presidency, and the first openly political president, quite persuasive. The book reads well, and Meacham chops the book into very short segments, which makes it easier for someone like me, who typically only reads for pleasure a few minutes a night. I do strongly recommend this to anyone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What a remarkable account of the story of a man whose circumstance could not hinder him from pursuing his destiny. There are many lessons to glean from the life of Andrew Jackson.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    What a disappointing piece this was. American Lion takes everything wrong with armchair history as if to serve as a textbook example of what not to do. The writing style is captivating and well polished but so infatuated with the subject that the reader gets lost - what I suspect would be a trademark of Meacham as he is not trained as a historian but rather in English. The chronology is confusing and chapters are spent on days and weeks while entire decades are summed up in a few paragraphs or pages. The reader is given no real sense of the timeline of Jacksons life, the impact that he had upon a broader America, or the actual changes and politics of his time. The story of the Eaton Affair, which rightfully deserves a large portion of the book, dominates along with the handful of scandals and issues of the Jackson presidency, but you get no sense of the true history of the period. After reading this, you are left with a flashy sense of a few episodes in the life of Jackson, a hell of a lot of quotes from Jackson, his circle, contemporary and twentieth-century historians and commentators, but you get no real idea of what Meacham was adding to the conversation. So much of the book is quotes, I would be afraid of what would be left if we husked them out and left just Meacham. This is a perfect example of the poor history we get from biography and the problem with the popularity of the genre.Masonry plays no role in the story, at any point. No mention is given to Jackson's Grand Mastership, and only a passage is spent on the Anti-Masonic crisis that gained traction just before Jackson's ascent to the Presidency. This would have made an interesting lens to understand the man, and given fertile grounds to understand the broader historical moment.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Jon Meacham has the ability to instill in the reader a sense that they are present during the events occurring around his subject. As a avid reader of American history, I found this work to be pivotal in telling the story of how the United States transformed from its origins as a revolutionary republic to its modern political culture.
    Andrew Jackson was as important a President to this process of transformation as Washington, Jefferson or Lincoln. A truly great read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I thought this book was absolutely fascinating. I would have liked more about Jackson's early life--but that wasn't Meacham's project. I would have organized it differently, I think, in a somewhat more structured way, but I really enjoyed it as it was. Andrew and Emily Donelson, in particular, come to life in this book. And really, if you think modern-day politics are petty and messy and ridiculous, read about the Eaton Affair.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Reading this book on Andrew Jackson was much like watching "The West Wing - 1830s"--for while Jackson's dominating presence was always there, it was much like President Josh Bartlett's in the TV show. He was not always center stage. Rather much of the drama we witness swirls about the cohort who surround him.

    No wonder. In reading the author's acknowledgements, the "new material" he credits for informing his narrative are the letters and personal papers of President Jackson's family members and assistants who shared the White House with him. It's therefore as much their story we hearing as it is Jackson's own.

    I chose to read the book because while I knew Andrew Jackson occupied the pantheon of great presidents, what earned him that place always seemed like a blur to me. When I was a kid, I was told he was a hero. When I grew older and learned of his involvement sending the natives in the SE United States on the Trail of Tears, I came to think of him as cruel and monstrous. This book helped to flesh out the picture, revealing that he was indeed a greatly flawed man but unquestionably a leader and one whose impact upon American history is still felt in important ways.

    Furthermore, I learned not only about the man but about the era. The things I remember about Jackson from high school history was that he did something with tariffs and he killed the Bank of the United States (although the significance of either of those never registered with me). Somehow I missed the fact that he also finessed the first efforts at southern secession, perhaps preventing civil war a couple of decades before Lincoln.

    It's also a crazy story, but Jackson's first term was overly occupied with his defense of the honor of the wife of a Cabinet secretary. His administration was nearly ruined by it. Never heard that in high school.

    I've read that some serious Jackson scholars have some contentions with this book. But if someone wants to learn more about his presidency short of seeking a Ph.D. in Jackson studies, I would say this is a good place to start.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Well done, thorough biography of Pres. Jackson. My takeaway is that politics haven't changed much in almost 200 years, and the desire for a select few to rule the world via the monetary system is nothing new, either. I give huge credit for Pres. Jackson for dismantling the Second Bank of the United States under Nicholas Biddle to prevent would be central bankers from seizing control of the US economy some 80 years before they made it stick with the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Driving by the Hermitage on Lebanon Pike or past the various streets named Rachel in Tulip Grove, or driving past Donelson - brought the characters and the story to life for me personally!
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I thought that I'd fall in love with this book but it had the opposite effect on me. I ended up being bored and stopping halfway through. I'm not sure why I didn't like it, and I can't say that I would preach AGAINST the book; I suppose it just didn't do it for me.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Andrew Jackson is my 5th cousin according to AncestryDNA and I approve of this account of his life and his wonderful contribution to this nation . He was the best president until our current one Donald J Trump, whom also brings to mind the image of a lion . Wonderfully written prose and the vocal talent is one of a kind.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    "American Lion" is a Pulitzer Prize winning bio of Andrew Jackson's two terms in the White House. Jackson was the 7th US President and served from March of 1829 to March 1837. I knew very little about Jackson coming into this book and was pleasantly surprised about his many critical successes. Jackson was a trailblazer in both the literal and figurative. For example, AJ's predecessors rarely vetoed legislation that came across their desk; this did not deter Jackson from vetoing many pieces of legislation from a rather hostile Congress. Previous administrations had seldom replaced government careerists. Jackson felt new blood was needed as he succeeded John Quincy Adams and he terminated over 900 federal employees, replacing them with Jackson loyalists soon after his inauguration.Meacham does an excellent job of setting the stage by identifying the key issues of the day, some of which Jackson would struggle with throughout his two terms. These included: 1.) the power of Biddle's Second Bank of the United States, a Bank that Jackson believed made loans to influence elections, 2.) the possibility of South Carolina's secession, note this was almost 35 years before its actual occurrence in the early 60's triggering the Civil War, 3.) the removal of Native Americans to lands west of the Mississippi, 4.) separation of Church and State, 5.) the role of federal government v state government, 6.) pirates ! One theme that keeps repeating is that though the country had been formed more than 50 years ago, many officials were still debating what the US would be, the roles of the major branches of government, and the interpretation of founding documents. It was very interesting to read of situations and arguments that sound amazingly similar to many events that take place today in Washington.Then there are the practices in Jackson's time that have changed. Things like daily horse rides through the streets of DC with VP Martin Van Buren, or the tawdry idea that candidates, especially the President, would openly campaign for office. And for those readers who enjoy soap opera, there is the Eaton affair, which consumed much of DC throughout Jackson's first term - amazing as it was, it got a bit boring after a while.All things considered, a 5 star book. I am glad to see the Pulitzer committee agrees with me. I am flabbergasted that the book has such a low reader average score. By the way, my paperback edition was only 361 pages - not sure how one of the print editions got to over 500 pages. Hats off to Meacham who did the historian thing of giving all the facts and details, then analyzing them for historical context, but mostly for making the book very readable and enjoyable.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In recent years I’ve learned that I love a good biography. Presidential bios are particularly interesting because I think it takes a specific kind of person to want to be in such a lauded and attacked position of power. American Lion has been on my radar for a while and it didn’t disappoint. Jackson broke the mold of presidents at that time. He was a fighter, a pioneer, a country boy, the opposite of the elite group of founding fathers in New England. I think he rivals Teddy Roosevelt for the title of most badass president of all time. At one point he was shot in the chest during a duel and he kept fighting! He was more astute than most people gave him credit for. His critics often focused on his temper and stubborn nature, but he seemed to know when to back down or be cordial if he would benefit from it. He was fiercely loyal to his family and friends, at times to a fault. I thought it was interesting that even hundreds of years ago, the presidential office was filled with scandal and petty fights, etc. That was nothing new in the 20th century. Jackson had his own moral code and he stuck by it. There are certainly some dark spots during his tenure as president, especially the trail of tears, which was created by his policy even if it was enacted in another president's term. Just like any other president, there were both good decisions and bad, and I’m sure that it’s much easier for us to judge them with hindsight. BOTTOM LINE: Jackson was such an interesting president! Also, I’ll keep reading whatever Meacham chooses to write. He’s up there on my list of must read nonfiction authors with Erik Larson, Mary Roach, Bill Bryson, and a few others. I didn’t love this one as much as the author’s biography of Thomas Jefferson, but I think that has more to do with my fascinating with Jefferson. “I was born for a storm and a calm does not suit me.”

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Pretty good take on Andrew Jackson’s time as President of the United States, with one glaring omission. Nothing here that you wouldn’t get from works by Robert Remini or H.W. Brands, except this concentrates solely on his time as President. There were a couple of things that make this book stand out. First, Meacham spends an incredible amount of time on what is known as the “Eaton Affair,” a scandal that intersected both social and political culture at the time, and secondly the small number of pages devoted to Andrew Jackson’s Indian removal policy was glaring – and disappointing.

    There is no doubt Andrew Jackson is one of the most important figures in American history. In many ways he defined the modern Presidency. He was the first President to use the veto in a political way, the first who actively tried to influence legislative action proactively rather than waiting for Congress to act, the first to assert the Presidential prerogative of determining the constitutionality of laws, and the first to take his message directly to the American people rather than go through Congress or by one of the constitutionally mandated means. Meacham describes all of this very well. He is an excellent writer; his prose was clear and easy to understand, and he did a nice job of bringing Jackson to life as it were.

    The first thing that separated this work from others on Jackson was Meacham’s treatment of a scandal known as the “Eaton Affair.” The “Eaton Affair” is well known by historians; there have been a number of books written about it, Meacham however, really elevates the importance of it to a new level, and seems to argue much of what Jackson did during most of his first term was directly affected by it. The “Eaton Affair’ involved Peggy Eaton, the wife of John Henry Eaton, Andrew Jackson’s Secretary of War. She had a rather bawdy reputation and was shunned and ridiculed by the society of political wives in Washington DC. Andrew Jackson, sensitive to the way his first wife was treated by society and by the media reacted very angrily to her treatment which caused a significant political rupture between Jackson and other high level officials – including Vice President John C. Calhoun. I thought this ws an interesting, and pretty persuasive take on Jackson’s first term.

    A good book on this “scandal” if you are interested is The Petticoat Affair by John Marszalek.

    The second noteworthy thing about this work was small number of pages devoted to Jackson’s Indian removal policy. Every President has a stain on his administration – Roosevelt’s internment of Japanese-Americans, Wilson’s racism, Reagan’s indifference to the burgeoning AIDS crisis etc. In this case Jackson, under the guise of Indian protection, and in direct contravention of a Supreme Court ruling, undertook to remove most of the southern tribes of Indians; the Choctaws, Creek, Seminoles and Cherokees, west of the Mississippi. This resulted in the shameful removal of the Cherokees to the Oklahoma Territory in what is now known as the “Trail of Tears.” It seems Meacham purposely tried to downplay this aspect of Jackson’s administration, not even mentioning it in the epilogue which discusses his legacy. For me this effectively ruined what had otherwise been a very solid book.

    An excellent account of Jackson’s Indian policy is Andrew Jackson and His Indian Wars by Robert Remini.

    Overall a good read, but considering the downplay of Jackson’s Indian policy the book end up reading more like a paean to Jackson than an objective biography.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a very interesting book. I learned a lot about Andrew Jackson. Really enjoyed reading this.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    a well written bio of jackson as president. interesting how we now view him, as a great president but in his time there was lots of opposition to him. jackson was blind to the issue of slavery, I am not sure he was a great president, he was good. certainly expanded the power of the president, which lincoln would take full advanage of

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    What makes this book good is not only the writing style, which flows with ease, but the context the history is put in. Not a step by step account of Andrew Jackson, but an understanding of why he did what he did and how it played an integral part in the country staying united. This country was much different before his time as President and was forever changed after his term. Only drawback is a chapter or two of drawn out political soap opera of the women lives of the White House and their social lives.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Imagine John Facenda, the iconic voice of NFL Films, telling a story about a man who is complex, evil, loving, tenacious, brilliant, a mass of contradiction who heroically saves the union by in part protecting its greatest failure and sin, and you will have an understanding of American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham.As with any family, it’s OK if criticism comes from inside the family, but woe to those outside its circle who dare utter a word against a member. A native of Chattanooga, Mr. Meacham is certainly a member of the Volunteer State family, and his portrayal of Tennessee’s favorite and most famous son is brilliant, fair and captivating.Andrew Jackson, the first self-made man to become President, is a difficult man to figure out. Jackson, just a boy of 13, fought for his infant country’s freedom in the Revolutionary War. Standing up to a British officer earned him a scar from the sword of the man whose boots Jackson refused to shine. The legend of “Old Hickory” begins here, and grows out of Jackson’s success as a soldier, and leader of men. As President Jackson consolidates the power of the office, and defines it as being a direct representative of the people. This and so many other concepts about the job and its role in our government that we now accept and take for granted where given to us by our seventh President. Jackson remains the last President to leave office with the United States being completely debt free. He stood up to the “nullifiers” of the south who felt that states should be able to nullify laws they did not agree with, and by reaching a compromise delayed the Civil War already brewing, especially in the slave states. This also made visible aspects of Jackson’s character that are frightening and troubling to those of us who admire him.Jackson was an unashamed slave owner, and his treatment of his slaves is no less barbaric than any other master of his day. Likewise, Jackson’s willingness to flat out lie to Native Americans, violate every treaty past and present, and ultimately create the genocide that was the “trail of tears” places him among history’s most brutal and callus leaders. Here is my one criticism of Mr. Meacham’s work. While he certainly did not look away from these dark, dark moments of Jackson’s life, I think Mr. Meacham could have allowed a more honest and stark view of Jackson’s crimes. Committing the folly of judging historical figures not by the mores of their day, but rather today’s accepted attitudes is something I usually find to be unfair. However, the raw, naked lack of compassion Jackson had for slaves and Native Americans demands a strong condemnation, even nearly 200 years later. History is written by its winners, and if the United States is to continue the painfully slow process of healing from slavery and the treatment of Indians, we must unflinchingly embrace our responsibility for those horrors.American Lion is now one of my favorite Presidential biographies. Meacham is able to capture President Jackson’s force of personality and determination, while at the same time letting us see his frailty and shortcomings. It is this combination that makes the book so powerful, and allows the appreciation of our seventh President.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is an intimate biography of Andrew Jackson. His presidency is one of the most important in American history as it created its first big turning point. The Presidency had mostly turned to its Founding Fathers to fill the position. Andrew Jackson was the first president to sit as his own man. His Presidency was also plagued with problems that would haunt the United States for many years after. The removal of the Native Americans with United States expansion, the issue of slavery, and the issue of states rights. Jackson was able to keep the union together with his own force, but weaker presidents thereafter led to the Civil War. The books power is in its intimate details of the President’s life. Most high school students would have a cursory history of Jackson, covering Nullification and states rights (the right of southern states to nullify a tariff on goods imposed by the union), his battles with the U.S. Bank, and the removal of Native Americans. This biography fills in who the man was, how he was treated by his intimates and some of the smaller politics of inside the White House that can really determine the decision-making of the President. Some of the biographies weak points are the pre-White House days and the Indian Removal. The Trail of Tears is given hardly any mention at all (it wasn't during his presidency, but he gave the order for the removal). You understand all the subtleties of White House Politics, some of the detail may bore those not interested in political machinations or micro-politics. It does cover, in great detail, the ante bellum years of the coming storm of the Civil War. The general theme of the book is President Jackson told in way similar to the everyday battles of a current president. You are there when intimate social events impact the course of events. I really enjoyed the intimate social details of the narrative. You are there as Jackson and Andrew Donaldson trade notes until late until the night debating whether Andrew should stay in the White House. A controversy that displays Jackson’s emotional insecurity, and vengeful wrath that all plays out like a soap opera. It’s not typical of a biography to get to that much detail. It also blends all these details together to provide an engaging narrative. Even though some of these smaller details seem like minutiae, it comes back to be a major component of the subsequent political movements. It’s this intimacy that provides its power.You are there are some of the greatest moments in American history are played out:Daniel Webster’s speech in defense of the union against Nullification (a power play for the Southern United States against what was viewed as an overreaching Union North, a precursor to Civil war).“God grant that, in my day, at least, that curtain may not rise. When my eyes shall be turned to behold, for the last time the sun in Heaven, may I not see him shining on the broken and dishonored fragments of a once glorious union; on states dissevered, discordant, belligerent; on a land rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may be, in fraternal blood!”. P. 129Intimate observations are further gained from Jackson’s removal of his entire cabinet, the first President to do so. Jackson would not have appreciated most of Adam’s literary allusions, but he agreed with the central point: politics is brutal because it engages the most fundamental human impulses for affection, honor, power, and fame. Great principles and grand visions are ennobling, but at its best politics is an imperfect means to an altruistic end. What Van Buren had undertaken on horseback was now reality, and Jackson, at long last, emerged from the Eaton affair with a cabinet he could control. It had come at a high price, but it had come. Beneath Jackson’s warmth and passionate attachments lay a coldheartedness essential to any great leader. “The President parts from (Eaton) with great reluctance, for he maintains the greatest affection towards him,” Blair said, “but he told me that he could always sacrifice every private feeling to what he considered a public duty.” P. 175Jackson was one of the first presidents that wasn’t associated with the American War for Independence. All presidents before him seemed to ride on that ticket, and he was the first to rise on his own. His presidency is critical because it strengthened the cause of union. Without him, the United States would have fallen apart, not by Civil War (for the union wasn’t strong enough to enforce something militarily in my opinion) but by simple disintegration. He was more of a strongman and his will moved things forward. Jackson was really one of my strongest memories of a president. I remember reading about him and seeing this caricature of him, standing as a giant before the U.S. Bank and this image stands for all things Jackson. A giant defeating those that would tear the country apart. Immediately following would proceed a string of legendarily bad presidents, too weak to make a decision on anything with compromises that would lead to Civil War. Overall, a fascinating portrait of the man as president.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    American Lion tells the story of Jackson’s presidency: the triumphs, the personal pain and the difficult problems he faced. The political environment during his two terms as president was toxic. His opponents and the hyper-partisan press called him uncivilized, power hungry and worse. A scandal (“the Eaton affair” – tame by today’s standards) nearly paralyzed his presidency. A defining issue for Andrew Jackson was “nullification.” The state of South Carolina was insisting that its state legislature had the right to void federal law within its boundaries. The law at issue was a protective tariff the state believed affected it, and the south in general, negatively and unfairly. And, always in the background, was the fear in the south that the federal government would one day try to eliminate slavery. Jackson changed the presidency forever … consolidating and taking on power to a greater extent than any of his predecessors. Jon Meacham paints a complex portrait of the president many people believe should be on Mount Rushmore with the other “greats.” It must be human nature to believe that we live in unique times – that the problems we’re encountering today have never happened before. Reading American Lion teaches otherwise.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Magisterial and analytical don't even begin to describe Jon Meaham's biography of Andrew Jackson (mostly during his period in the White House). Given that Jackson inspires a good deal of antipathy for a great many of his policies, Meacham's biography is all the more impressive in that it presents a complex and complicated man who is neither a hero nor a monster.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Before reading this biography of Jackson, which concentrated mainly on his years in the White House), I disliked him rather strongly for his treatment of Native Americans, but this well-rounded view of him has given me some grudging respect for some of his policies and for him as an individual. It is certainly a stunning work of research and is very readable.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Andrew Jackson, a guiding impulse in the Democratic Party since his presidency, is usually more remembered for his larger-than-life persona outside of the White House. Jon Meacham, former editor of Newsweek magazine, discovers a seeming modern sensibility in "Old Hickory," arguing that Jackson should be best remembered as the first modern President in "American Lion."Winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Biography, the well-reviewed volume tackles the notoriously prickly Jackson, arguing that the elder Jackson might be more interesting than the middle age 'Hero of New Orleans' or even the hot-headed man who fought a duel over his wife's honor. Instead, Meacham describes a man who overcame significant setbacks in his life, from the death of his father shortly before his birth to the death of his beloved wife shortly before his inauguration as President, Jackson rose from humble beginnings to national stature in the military and in politics.As might be expected from a man who did not know his own father, Jackson placed great emphasis on family in his adult life. In fact, Meacham argues that Jackson had a carefully constructed self-image as a father figure that guided most of his interactions. He was the undisputed father-figure in his own family from middle-age on, doting in particular on his favorite nephew. This self-image crept into other parts of Jackson's adult life too, affecting how he treated the soldiers under his command and the politicians who worked alongside him (particularly his cabinet). One could imagine that Jackson even envisioned himself, once he assumed the presidency, as taking the seat of George Washington, not only as chief national executive but as father of the country.This attitude seems to have encouraged Jackson's frequent urges to micro-manage all aspects of his life -- and the lives of those around him. When a scandal broke out early in his administration related to the wife of a cabinet secretary rumored to have a salacious past, Jackson spent a lot of energy and time trying to force Washington society, including other cabinet secretaries and their wives, to accept the embattled couple.The paternalism also saw him through his trials, particularly the endless debate over the national bank (which Jackson successfully killed and prevented from being reestablished through careful maneuvering) and the nullification crisis of 1833. Of course, it also allowed him to ruthlessly shun any whom he felt had crossed him -- which occurred to many, even in his own family, in later years.Meacham has produced a lively text, filled with carefully selected quotations from Jackson and his associates that add a dramatic quality to the narrative. Aside from the quality of the writing, which is excellent throughout, Meacham shows a breathtaking economy in telling the story of Jackson's life, keeping things fairly brief without ever seeming to cut for length. This volume will prove both enjoyable to the average reader and influential for future biographers.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Biography of the presidential term of Andrew Jackson. A little background information is presented, and well as a little about his life after leaving the White House, but primarily focuses only on his White House years. Jackson is portrayed as feeling empowered by the will of the common people to lead the country. He is the man credited with increasing the authority of the office of president, using the veto power to impose his will on the legislature as never before. The account spends an inordinate amount of time examining the squabble among the women in Washington concerning the wife of his secretary of the army - the so-called Petticoat Affair. It spends a lot of time on Jackson's campaign to defeat the Bank of the US in its bid for re-certification without adequately explaining why he was opposed to its existence. Also highlighted here is the nullification issue - a big piece in the states' rights argument that led to the civil war. In fact, during Jackson's administration in the 1830's, many in the country believed that civil war was imminent. One of Jackson's accomplishments in office was to neutralize some of the hostilities, postponing the war for more than 20 years.Like anyone else, Jackson was neither all good nor all bad. He was a slave owner who never freed any of his slaves. He was also behind the forced removal of the Indian nations from the southern states, the "Trail of Tears". Yet, he honestly believed he had the best interests of the union at heart. He saw himself as a father figure to the common people of America.Biographies are not my favorite reading. I generally find them tedious. This one was no exception. I feel better acquainted with President Andrew Jackson than before, but don't have a full appreciation for the man and his personal and military accomplishments outside of Washington. Nor do I feel like I have a better understanding of most of the issues facing the nation during that time. Of course considering that the subtitle is "Andrew Jackson in the White House", I guess those points are beyond the scope of this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    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.” Meacham is careful to point out in his acknowledgements that “this book is not an academic study of [Jackson’s] presidency.” (p.363)The book spends a great deal of time on three issues of Jackson’s presidency: the political and societal hubbub surrounding Jackson’s choice for Secretary of War, John Eaton – or more appropriately, surrounding his wife, Margaret; his opposition to the Second Bank of the United States; and his fight against nullification, or what Jackson called “the mad project of disunion.” The coverage of the first, often dubbed the “Petticoat Affair,” seemed to drag on after awhile and made me feel like I was reading the 19th century version of the celebrity tabloids.Jackson viewed himself (as president) as the people’s representative, sometimes to the point of a quasi-dictatorial aura. He was an incredibly strong willed individual who used his power and influence over family, friends and enemies alike to get what he wanted. Meacham’s descriptions of this aspect of Jackson, however, seem almost to excuse his actions. Meacham also focused on the fact that Jackson expanded the powers of the president exponentially above any of his six predecessors, particularly through the use of the presidential veto.Although the book is specifically about his presidential life (thus the subtitle Andrew Jackson in the White House), I wish it had covered a little more of the background of how exactly Jackson got to the White House. Additionally, Meacham uses a writing style that follows a chronological approach and as a result, feels incredibly cumbersome and disjointed. One section of a chapter will be discussing a particular issue, only to have the next paragraph jump to completely unrelated one without warning and then back to the first just as suddenly.While the three subjects mentioned above received extensive coverage, Jackson’s policies and dealings with Native Americans gets comparatively little coverage. Considering that this topic is perhaps one most associated with Jackson’s presidency, I was surprised and disappointed that Meacham did not spend more time on the topic. Even though Meacham’s disclaimer of the book not being “an academic study of [Jackson’s] presidency” gives him some excuse for not spending more time on this issue, I expected a book of this size and renown to have more coverage than it did, especially considering the attention given to the Eaton affair.Overall, American Lion is a good introduction to Jackson’s presidency. While lacking in details such as his earlier life and rise into politics, it gave some good insights into how Jackson expanded the power of the president.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    So far what I have read I liked very much. Mr. Meacham writes with a storyline and clarity that are easy to follow and understand. I have not yet finished this book, since I have recently moved and it has ended up in storage for the time being. Though, I do not see him changing his style midway through a book. Especially one that at has received such wonderful reviews thus far. Yes, I would recommend it to anyone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Andrew Jackson was the super-celebrity President of his day. Little known today, Meacham makes a compelling case that Jackson is the man who gave the office of President the kind of power it has had since - for better and for worse.The better is shown by Jackson's actions during the Nullification Crisis, when he stared down South Carolina secessionists some 30 years before Abraham Lincoln would face them again, thereby giving Lincoln the precedent he needed. The worse is shown by the Trail of Tears and Jackson's support for censorship of abolitionists.Meacham's portrait of Jackson dispels the image of him as a madman, but does not resort to hagiography. The book benefits from original research by Meacham, who read reams of contemporary letters to pull together a view of the Age of Jackson well deserving of the Pulitzer Prize.