Status
Available
Publication
Random House Trade Paperbacks (2009), Edition: Reprint, 512 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. History. Politics. Nonfiction. HTML: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. Jacksons 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 Jacksons presidency, acclaimed author Jon Meacham goes inside the Jackson White House. Drawing on newly discovered family letters and papers, he details the human dramathe family, the women, and the inner circle of advisers that shaped Jacksons 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 Housefrom Lincoln to Theodore Roosevelt to FDR to Trumanhave 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 safeno matter what it took.… (more)
Media reviews
“American Lion” is enormously entertaining, especially in the deft descriptions of Jackson’s personality and domestic life in his White House. But Meacham has missed an opportunity to reflect on the nature of American populism as personified by Jackson.
Mr. Meacham, the editor of Newsweek, dispenses with the usual view of Jackson as a Tennessee hothead and instead sees a cannily ambitious figure determined to reshape the power of the presidency during his time in office (1829 to 1837). Case by case, Mr. Meacham dissects Jackson’s battles and
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reinterprets them in a revealing new light. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member maneekuhi
"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.
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member JeffV
Andrew Jackson is one of my favorite figures in American History. Unfortunately, this book doesn't really explain why.
American Lion concentrates on Jackson's presidency. Maybe it really was that unremarkable, but Meacham spends too much time doting on the largely uninteresting affairs of his
Jackson was very much a populist...Meacham tells us time and again that he was an ally of the people against the mechanations of the powerful elite. This laid the foundations of the Democratic Party. I didn't think he did a good job explaining how and why that mattered...how the common man benefited from the Bank destruction, or what they were thinking in the North when Calhoun and his cronies were trying to make a case for destroying the Union.
Meacham seemed intent on building sympathy for Jackson, beginning with the death of his beloved wife and the health problems and untimely deaths suffered by Jackson's inner circle and himself. I think Jackson would have mocked that characterization. He was a consummate hard-ass, who expected history to judge him favorably even if he was in a daily struggle. Kind of like this book.
American Lion concentrates on Jackson's presidency. Maybe it really was that unremarkable, but Meacham spends too much time doting on the largely uninteresting affairs of his
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associates and not enough discussing foreign policy or the forced removal of Native Americans beyond the Mississippi. Of the issues that are discussed at length was South Carolina's first attempt at seccession, and the destruction of the Second Bank of the US. Jackson was very much a populist...Meacham tells us time and again that he was an ally of the people against the mechanations of the powerful elite. This laid the foundations of the Democratic Party. I didn't think he did a good job explaining how and why that mattered...how the common man benefited from the Bank destruction, or what they were thinking in the North when Calhoun and his cronies were trying to make a case for destroying the Union.
Meacham seemed intent on building sympathy for Jackson, beginning with the death of his beloved wife and the health problems and untimely deaths suffered by Jackson's inner circle and himself. I think Jackson would have mocked that characterization. He was a consummate hard-ass, who expected history to judge him favorably even if he was in a daily struggle. Kind of like this book.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
Jon Meacham won a Pulitzer Prize for this book, probably because it is well written, and most Americans know precious little about Andrew Jackson or the United States in the 1830’s. I, however, think the book suffers from the author’s spending too much time perusing the correspondence of the
Jackson appointed John Henry Eaton as his Secretary of War. Jackson had been instrumental in introducing Eaton to his wife, Margaret. Margaret became a liability for both Eton and Jackson because she was intemperate and outspoken and because she seems to have married Eaton while still married to another man. Jackson had great sympathy for the Eatons, perhaps because their situation was somewhat similar to Jackson’s with his wife, Rachael, whom he may have married a little before her divorce.
Meacham expends many words on the Eaton affair as a public scandal and source of contention in his cabinet, and perhaps that is appropriate. At least one entire cabinet meeting was devoted to resolving how to deal with the issue. Indeed, Meacham attributes the success of Martin Van Buren and the failure of John C. Calhoun to influence Jackson to their respective stances on the Eaton affair. Yet, I can’t help thinking Meacham could have devoted more space to issues like Indian removal and the Bank of the United States and less to the question of which Washington wives were willing to exchange visits with the Eatons.
One issue Meacham does handle adroitly is that of the crisis over the tariff and South Carolina’s efforts to “nullify” it. Southern planters did not like having to pay Yankee manufacturers “exorbitant” prices for goods. Had not a comprehensive protective tariff been imposed upon them by the northern states, the goods could have been purchased from foreign suppliers at lower prices. Of even more concern to Southerners was the possibility that the northern states would use their leverage to restrict or eliminate slavery through legislation. Thus Calhoun and others promulgated a doctrine of nullification that would have permitted individual states to ignore federal legislation unfavorable to them.
Jackson saw the nullification theory as tantamount to the power to secede from the Union. Jackson asked for and received from Congress authority to enforce the tariff by military force if necessary. However, he was also instrumental in reducing the rates of many of the import duties. One of the main thrusts of Jackson’s second inaugural address was directed to opposing the nullification doctrine. Indeed, Abraham Lincoln analyzed Jackson’s address in formulating his own legal theories in opposition to the South’s later secession. The combination of the authorized military action, reduced duties, and Jackson’s eloquence was sufficient to defuse the nullification crisis, and the southern states did not ignore federal law for another twenty-four years.
In contrast to his coverage of nullification, Meacham says little about Indian removal (the forceful relocation of virtually all Indians from the southern states to lands west of the Mississippi) except to point out that Jackson was its leading proponent. (Georgians wanted their valuable land for themselves and the state legislature enacted laws designed to force the natives to migrate west. John Marshall's Supreme Court declared the Georgia laws invalid, but Jackson ignored this decision. When the Cherokees refused to leave, Jackson sent troops who forced them at gunpoint to sign a treaty giving up their lands. Three years later they were driven along the "trail of tears" to the barren wastes of Indian Territory (today's Oklahoma). Thousands died during or just after this journey.)
Even less satisfying is Meacham’s treatment of the controversy over the Bank of the United States, the brain child of Alexander Hamilton. We learn that Jackson was against it, saying it financed the political campaigns of his enemies, and that Nicholas Biddle, the Bank president, was for it. Nowhere does he discuss the merits of the bank (remember, this was before there was a federal reserve) or whether Jackson’s allegations of favoritism toward his rivals had any substance to them. Only one paragraph is devoted to the fact that a financial panic and severe depression struck the country only months after Jackson left office. Meacham mentions that there is “much historical debate” over the effects of Jackson’s economic policies, but doesn’t characterize or even describe the debate.
Meacham’s description of Jackson as a person is well wrought. He owned 150 slaves, and freed none of them, even upon his death. He was formidable and an exceptionally strong leader. After Jackson’s death, when one of his slaves was asked whether he thought Jackson had gone to heaven, the slave answered, “If the General wants to go, who’s going to stop him?”
He was the first president to use the veto power against legislation simply because he disagreed with it—prior presidents had vetoed only bills they thought were unconstitutional. He justified his exercise of power on the fact that the president was the only person elected by “all the people.” In those days, senators were elected by state legislatures. This exercise of power, however, included the tendency to reward those loyal to him and punish his enemies. But the conflicts were couched in such a way as to make it seem as if it were the will of the people versus a disdainful elite. Meacham does not analyze the repercussions of this type of populism.
Rating: This book focuses too much on the personal to the detriment of the political. In the current political climate, readers could benefit by learning about a president who claimed to represent the little people, and then used to office to go after his internal enemies no matter what the cost to country and decency. Those who choose this book should make careful comparison to other historical treatments of Jackson, in order to get the full story.
(JAB)
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principal actors. The result is an emphasis on the interpersonal relations between Jackson and his surrogate family (his wife died shortly after he was elected president), while giving somewhat short shrift to the key political and economic issues of the day. Even when discussing the key issues, Meacham spends more ink on who was winning (Jackson almost always won) than on what were the merits of the disputes. Jackson appointed John Henry Eaton as his Secretary of War. Jackson had been instrumental in introducing Eaton to his wife, Margaret. Margaret became a liability for both Eton and Jackson because she was intemperate and outspoken and because she seems to have married Eaton while still married to another man. Jackson had great sympathy for the Eatons, perhaps because their situation was somewhat similar to Jackson’s with his wife, Rachael, whom he may have married a little before her divorce.
Meacham expends many words on the Eaton affair as a public scandal and source of contention in his cabinet, and perhaps that is appropriate. At least one entire cabinet meeting was devoted to resolving how to deal with the issue. Indeed, Meacham attributes the success of Martin Van Buren and the failure of John C. Calhoun to influence Jackson to their respective stances on the Eaton affair. Yet, I can’t help thinking Meacham could have devoted more space to issues like Indian removal and the Bank of the United States and less to the question of which Washington wives were willing to exchange visits with the Eatons.
One issue Meacham does handle adroitly is that of the crisis over the tariff and South Carolina’s efforts to “nullify” it. Southern planters did not like having to pay Yankee manufacturers “exorbitant” prices for goods. Had not a comprehensive protective tariff been imposed upon them by the northern states, the goods could have been purchased from foreign suppliers at lower prices. Of even more concern to Southerners was the possibility that the northern states would use their leverage to restrict or eliminate slavery through legislation. Thus Calhoun and others promulgated a doctrine of nullification that would have permitted individual states to ignore federal legislation unfavorable to them.
Jackson saw the nullification theory as tantamount to the power to secede from the Union. Jackson asked for and received from Congress authority to enforce the tariff by military force if necessary. However, he was also instrumental in reducing the rates of many of the import duties. One of the main thrusts of Jackson’s second inaugural address was directed to opposing the nullification doctrine. Indeed, Abraham Lincoln analyzed Jackson’s address in formulating his own legal theories in opposition to the South’s later secession. The combination of the authorized military action, reduced duties, and Jackson’s eloquence was sufficient to defuse the nullification crisis, and the southern states did not ignore federal law for another twenty-four years.
In contrast to his coverage of nullification, Meacham says little about Indian removal (the forceful relocation of virtually all Indians from the southern states to lands west of the Mississippi) except to point out that Jackson was its leading proponent. (Georgians wanted their valuable land for themselves and the state legislature enacted laws designed to force the natives to migrate west. John Marshall's Supreme Court declared the Georgia laws invalid, but Jackson ignored this decision. When the Cherokees refused to leave, Jackson sent troops who forced them at gunpoint to sign a treaty giving up their lands. Three years later they were driven along the "trail of tears" to the barren wastes of Indian Territory (today's Oklahoma). Thousands died during or just after this journey.)
Even less satisfying is Meacham’s treatment of the controversy over the Bank of the United States, the brain child of Alexander Hamilton. We learn that Jackson was against it, saying it financed the political campaigns of his enemies, and that Nicholas Biddle, the Bank president, was for it. Nowhere does he discuss the merits of the bank (remember, this was before there was a federal reserve) or whether Jackson’s allegations of favoritism toward his rivals had any substance to them. Only one paragraph is devoted to the fact that a financial panic and severe depression struck the country only months after Jackson left office. Meacham mentions that there is “much historical debate” over the effects of Jackson’s economic policies, but doesn’t characterize or even describe the debate.
Meacham’s description of Jackson as a person is well wrought. He owned 150 slaves, and freed none of them, even upon his death. He was formidable and an exceptionally strong leader. After Jackson’s death, when one of his slaves was asked whether he thought Jackson had gone to heaven, the slave answered, “If the General wants to go, who’s going to stop him?”
He was the first president to use the veto power against legislation simply because he disagreed with it—prior presidents had vetoed only bills they thought were unconstitutional. He justified his exercise of power on the fact that the president was the only person elected by “all the people.” In those days, senators were elected by state legislatures. This exercise of power, however, included the tendency to reward those loyal to him and punish his enemies. But the conflicts were couched in such a way as to make it seem as if it were the will of the people versus a disdainful elite. Meacham does not analyze the repercussions of this type of populism.
Rating: This book focuses too much on the personal to the detriment of the political. In the current political climate, readers could benefit by learning about a president who claimed to represent the little people, and then used to office to go after his internal enemies no matter what the cost to country and decency. Those who choose this book should make careful comparison to other historical treatments of Jackson, in order to get the full story.
(JAB)
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LibraryThing member gmicksmith
Meacham's book should be compared to one of the standard references to Jackson, i.e., Schlesinger's important work, The Age of Jackson. There is no question that Meacham has written a very readable and lively account of Jackson, the person, and highlights Andrew's life throughout. Less sure-footed
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though in Meacham is where Schlesinger excels, Jackson as the exemplar of his age. The Bank War is not as prominent a feature in Meacham as it is in Schlesinger, and more emphasis is placed by Meacham in the political incorrectness of Jackson. The contrast and value between the two will rest therefore on where the reader's sympathies lie most, in the culture wars or in the importance of Jackson for demonstrating how the little man, the small farmer, and the rural non-elite may prosper in Jacksonian America. Of the two, I would tip a hat towards Schlesinger though Meacham is well worth reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member mybucketlistofbooks
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member tututhefirst
Before I read this book, I knew that Andrew Jackson was the 7th president, he led the army in victory at the Battle of New Orleans, and there was a great deal of scandal/ dispute over his marriage to Rachel Donelson.
After I read this Pulitzer Prize winning discussion of his years as President, I
Meacham's theory seems to be that Jackson was sympathetic to the couple since he had undergone the same kind of shunning when he married Rachel.
Consequently, we are given short shrift on some of the more vital aspects of Jackson's life and presidency. For instance, Jackson's views on slavery are fairly glossed over. There are exactly 5 pages devoted to his ownership of slaves (he owned 150), and the fact that he did not ever free any of them. We hear nothing of his actual views of this abominable practice.
We are treated to his denunciations of the US Bank and pages upon pages of everything he did to try to disband it, but for those of us with a lack of indepth knowledge of the issue, we are never given a good reason WHY he wanted to disband the bank. Again we are treated to many many pages of personality conflicts of all the players in this debacle, but scant delineation about the issue itself.
We hear of Jackson's views on nullification and secession, and very his often conflicting views about the Native American population---I definitely would have liked to have had a much more indepth discussion of this vice the ladies tea party debates. Jackson's policies led directly to the Trail of Tears -- the forced expulsion of the Cherokees to western lands, but nowhere do we see how he reacted to it. We are given speeches in which he identified himself as the Great White father, and some indication that he felt justified in breaking treaties, but the subject deserves much more if this book were to truly explain Jackson's achievements.
Meacham posits that because Jackson was orphaned so young, he deeply missed having the opportunity of belonging to family. He saw the American people as his family, and used his popularity to enforce his views. He believed in a powerful executive. He was the first American president to have used the veto simply because he disagreed with a bill Congress had passed. Prior to Jackson, presidents had only vetoed bills they thought were unconstitutional. If you were white, you were entitled to the full protection of the government. If you were black or Native american, (or Mexican--we mustn't forget the few pages devoted to the Mexican wars), you didn't deserve the liberties spelled out in the Constitution.
Meacham sums it:
"(Jackson) also proved the principle that the character of the president matters enormously. Politics is about more than personality; the affairs of a great people are shaped by complex and messy forces that transcend the purely biographical. Those affairs, however, are also fundamentally affected by the complex and messy individuals who marshal and wield power in a given era. Jackson was a transformative president in part because he had a trancendent personality.....he gave his most imaginative successors the means to do things they thought right...
...The great often teach by their failures and derelictions. The tragedy of Jackson's life is that a man dedicated to freedom failed to see liberty as a universal, not a particular, gift. The triumph of his life is that he held together a country whose experiment in liberty ultimately extended its protections and promises to all--belatedly it is true, but by saving the Union, Jackson kept the possibility of progress alive, a possibility that would have died had secussion and separation carried the day."
Jackson certainly changed the role of the Presidency. Whether those changes were good or not so good is impossible to determine from reading only this book.
After I read this Pulitzer Prize winning discussion of his years as President, I
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now know all I ever wanted to know (and a WHOLE lot I could have done without) about the ladies dispute over 'receiving' Mrs. Margaret Eaton, wife of his secretary of war. I seems Margaret was regarded as a rather loose woman by many of the grand dames of Washington, and the author chose to spend literally 100's of pages discussing the reactions to her and Jackson's insistence that the Eatons be treated with respect.Meacham's theory seems to be that Jackson was sympathetic to the couple since he had undergone the same kind of shunning when he married Rachel.
Consequently, we are given short shrift on some of the more vital aspects of Jackson's life and presidency. For instance, Jackson's views on slavery are fairly glossed over. There are exactly 5 pages devoted to his ownership of slaves (he owned 150), and the fact that he did not ever free any of them. We hear nothing of his actual views of this abominable practice.
We are treated to his denunciations of the US Bank and pages upon pages of everything he did to try to disband it, but for those of us with a lack of indepth knowledge of the issue, we are never given a good reason WHY he wanted to disband the bank. Again we are treated to many many pages of personality conflicts of all the players in this debacle, but scant delineation about the issue itself.
We hear of Jackson's views on nullification and secession, and very his often conflicting views about the Native American population---I definitely would have liked to have had a much more indepth discussion of this vice the ladies tea party debates. Jackson's policies led directly to the Trail of Tears -- the forced expulsion of the Cherokees to western lands, but nowhere do we see how he reacted to it. We are given speeches in which he identified himself as the Great White father, and some indication that he felt justified in breaking treaties, but the subject deserves much more if this book were to truly explain Jackson's achievements.
Meacham posits that because Jackson was orphaned so young, he deeply missed having the opportunity of belonging to family. He saw the American people as his family, and used his popularity to enforce his views. He believed in a powerful executive. He was the first American president to have used the veto simply because he disagreed with a bill Congress had passed. Prior to Jackson, presidents had only vetoed bills they thought were unconstitutional. If you were white, you were entitled to the full protection of the government. If you were black or Native american, (or Mexican--we mustn't forget the few pages devoted to the Mexican wars), you didn't deserve the liberties spelled out in the Constitution.
Meacham sums it:
"(Jackson) also proved the principle that the character of the president matters enormously. Politics is about more than personality; the affairs of a great people are shaped by complex and messy forces that transcend the purely biographical. Those affairs, however, are also fundamentally affected by the complex and messy individuals who marshal and wield power in a given era. Jackson was a transformative president in part because he had a trancendent personality.....he gave his most imaginative successors the means to do things they thought right...
...The great often teach by their failures and derelictions. The tragedy of Jackson's life is that a man dedicated to freedom failed to see liberty as a universal, not a particular, gift. The triumph of his life is that he held together a country whose experiment in liberty ultimately extended its protections and promises to all--belatedly it is true, but by saving the Union, Jackson kept the possibility of progress alive, a possibility that would have died had secussion and separation carried the day."
Jackson certainly changed the role of the Presidency. Whether those changes were good or not so good is impossible to determine from reading only this book.
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LibraryThing member bookworm12
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.”
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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.”
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LibraryThing member kvrfan
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member stypulkoski
Jon Meacham has written an informative and engaging work on one of American's most important but still least understood presidencies. Not a comprehensive biography (look elsewhere if that's what you're searching for), Meacham explores Jackson's presidency - the decisions he made, why he made them,
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the effects they had, and how Jackson was able to hold the nation together at a time when civil war seemed not just possible, but imminent. Jackson is often portrayed negatively today, mostly due to his handling of thee Indian situation (the Trail of Tears, etc.). Meacham successfully casts Jackson as a decent man who was tasked with making impossible decisions. Regardless of one's opinion of Andrew Jackson, there is no denying the mark he left on the presidency and the nation as a whole. Anyone interested in American history (or just an entertaining story of a remarkable life) would do well to pick up a copy of this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member billiecat
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
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.
The better is shown by Jackson's actions during the Nullification
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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.
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LibraryThing member Proustitutes
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.
LibraryThing member Eskypades
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
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.
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– 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.
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LibraryThing member sgtbigg
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
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 expanded at the expense of the legislative branch. While the details have changed this seems to be an ongoing effort that continues today. The more I read about America's early days, the more I find they were very similar to today.
I did have one issue with the book, the footnotes. I am a big believer in footnotes and have a hard time reading non-fiction without them. I did not like the way Meacham’s notes were done. The actual notes were at the end of the book and were used primarily for direct quotation. The reader is forced to determine which of several quotations they are looking for, as the only reference is the page number, with several notes for each page. There was nothing in the text to indicate there was a note for it.
Overall, I enjoyed reading American Lion and would recommend it to anyone interested in American history between the Revolution and the Civil War. It may not be for those with more intimate knowledge of the period, but for the rest of us it serves as a good introduction to both Andrew Jackson and the people around him.
I received a review copy of this book from the Library Thing Early Reviewer program.
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surprising role in determining public policy.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 expanded at the expense of the legislative branch. While the details have changed this seems to be an ongoing effort that continues today. The more I read about America's early days, the more I find they were very similar to today.
I did have one issue with the book, the footnotes. I am a big believer in footnotes and have a hard time reading non-fiction without them. I did not like the way Meacham’s notes were done. The actual notes were at the end of the book and were used primarily for direct quotation. The reader is forced to determine which of several quotations they are looking for, as the only reference is the page number, with several notes for each page. There was nothing in the text to indicate there was a note for it.
Overall, I enjoyed reading American Lion and would recommend it to anyone interested in American history between the Revolution and the Civil War. It may not be for those with more intimate knowledge of the period, but for the rest of us it serves as a good introduction to both Andrew Jackson and the people around him.
I received a review copy of this book from the Library Thing Early Reviewer program.
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LibraryThing member wcpweaver
This book focuses on the human side of Andrew Jackson's administration. As the first "common man" to become president, Jackson has always fascinated historians. Besides being the ultimate outsider—it was during his administration, more than any other, where it was decided whether or not America's
Jackson lost his parents at a very young age, consequently he had a very powerful need to be surrounded by his family. When his beloved wife Rachel died a few weeks before he assumed the power of the presidency that role was filled by his young niece Emily and her husband Andrew Jackson Donelson. Unfortunately this arrangement was seriously disturbed on their arrival when one of the president's most trusted advisers, John Eaton, married Peggy O'Neill, who was considered less than acceptable by Washington society. The brouhaha that ensued changed history and may have even been a factor in bringing about the American Civil War.
Once they get rid of Mrs. Eaton things get calmer on the home front while the political situation heats up considerably. Besides destroying the Cherokee Nation's dream to live alongside the white man, Jackson had Calhoun and the Nullifiers to outwit, the bank of the United States to destroy, a nasty confrontation with the French to get past, not to mention giving moral support to the effort to declare Texan independence. He did it by using the presidency in a manner that concentrated power in a way that had never been dared before. He showed how much personality defines a presidency and, for better or worse, changed the nature of the office forever. It went from an office that served at the sufferance of Congress, to one that drives the agenda of government.
This book, more than any other I've read about the time, explores the human side of Jackson's administration and shows how personality and seemingly innocuous events can shape history.
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privileged class would hold all the political power—he also expanded the presidents' power over the national agenda more than any of his predecessors.Jackson lost his parents at a very young age, consequently he had a very powerful need to be surrounded by his family. When his beloved wife Rachel died a few weeks before he assumed the power of the presidency that role was filled by his young niece Emily and her husband Andrew Jackson Donelson. Unfortunately this arrangement was seriously disturbed on their arrival when one of the president's most trusted advisers, John Eaton, married Peggy O'Neill, who was considered less than acceptable by Washington society. The brouhaha that ensued changed history and may have even been a factor in bringing about the American Civil War.
Once they get rid of Mrs. Eaton things get calmer on the home front while the political situation heats up considerably. Besides destroying the Cherokee Nation's dream to live alongside the white man, Jackson had Calhoun and the Nullifiers to outwit, the bank of the United States to destroy, a nasty confrontation with the French to get past, not to mention giving moral support to the effort to declare Texan independence. He did it by using the presidency in a manner that concentrated power in a way that had never been dared before. He showed how much personality defines a presidency and, for better or worse, changed the nature of the office forever. It went from an office that served at the sufferance of Congress, to one that drives the agenda of government.
This book, more than any other I've read about the time, explores the human side of Jackson's administration and shows how personality and seemingly innocuous events can shape history.
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LibraryThing member theageofsilt
This well written book focuses on the personal life of Jackson especially the role of his beloved niece and nephew. Jackson's life story is fascinating and, in many ways, the issues of his times were a "dress rehearsal" for the Civil War.
LibraryThing member mitchellray
In "American Lion" author Jon Meacham writes an engaging narrative about the intertwining political and personal lives of Andrew Jackson during his years as president. Meacham portrays Jackson as a transformative president who created the modern American presidency we are familiar with today.
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Jackson perceived himself to be the champion of the people fighting against powerful financial and political interests. Meacham illustrates how Jackson’s personal life profoundly influenced his presidency. The reader comes away with an understanding of Jackson the man and Jackson the politician. Meacham has us caring about this often misunderstood leader of our nation. "American Lion" is an enjoyable and enlightening read for both the casual reader and the scholar. Show Less
LibraryThing member MellowOwl
I found this to be an extremely poor book. I disagree strongly with the way Meacham portrayed Jackson as a loving family man and protector of the people. Meacham is too apologetic for Jackson's egotism and barbaric acts against Native Americans (Trail of Tears anyone?) and slaves. I would not
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recommend this book a all. Show Less
LibraryThing member bermudaonion
American Lion by Jon Meacham is a biography of our seventh President, Andrew Jackson. Jackson made a name for himself as a military leader at the Battle of New Orleans. In 1824, he won the most popular votes in the Presidential election, but no one won the electoral vote, and Congress named John
* Jackson claimed South Carolina as his home state, but there is some dispute as to whether he was born in North Carolina or South Carolina. Ironically, South Carolina caused a lot of controversy during Jackson’s administration. There was lots of talk of nullification and even a vote approving it once, but Jackson managed to keep the Union together while he was in office.
* He changed the address in diplomatic correspondence – in the past, official correspondence from foreign countries was addressed to ” the President and Congress of the United States;” Jackson said all correspondence should be addressed to “the President of the United States of America.”
* Jackson was the first President to use the veto liberally and as a political weapon.
* The first assassination attempt against a President occurred when Robert B. Randolph tried to kill Jackson.
* Congress censured Andrew Jackson in 1834 for the removal of funds from the Second Bank of America.
* Jackson was responsible for the displacement of many Indians – he disregarded earlier treaties.
* Jackson’s wife, Rachel, was still married to her first husband when she married Jackson.
* Since Andrew and Rachel couldn’t have any children, they adopted one of Rachel’s brother’s twins.
American Lion is a fascinating book – I would say the readability falls between a textbook and a novel. I found myself taking notes, because this book is not a light read, but it is well worth the time it takes to read it. Don’t let the size intimidate you – there are over 100 pages of notes, etc in the back. One thing did disappoint me, though. I thought our forefathers were more honorable than people are today and I was sorry to discover they weren’t. Jackson’s term was marred by a sex scandal, the Presidential elections went on for too long, and there was plenty of political underhandedness going on. It just goes to show you – the more things change, the more they stay the same. History buffs are sure to love this thoroughly researched, well-written book.
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Quincy Adams as President. Jackson was first elected President in 1828 and served two terms. Jackson’s vision of the Presidency was different from that of his predecessors – he saw the President as a powerful, central leader who represented the people – and he totally changed the role of the Executive Branch of our government. Some fascinating facts about Jackson are:* Jackson claimed South Carolina as his home state, but there is some dispute as to whether he was born in North Carolina or South Carolina. Ironically, South Carolina caused a lot of controversy during Jackson’s administration. There was lots of talk of nullification and even a vote approving it once, but Jackson managed to keep the Union together while he was in office.
* He changed the address in diplomatic correspondence – in the past, official correspondence from foreign countries was addressed to ” the President and Congress of the United States;” Jackson said all correspondence should be addressed to “the President of the United States of America.”
* Jackson was the first President to use the veto liberally and as a political weapon.
* The first assassination attempt against a President occurred when Robert B. Randolph tried to kill Jackson.
* Congress censured Andrew Jackson in 1834 for the removal of funds from the Second Bank of America.
* Jackson was responsible for the displacement of many Indians – he disregarded earlier treaties.
* Jackson’s wife, Rachel, was still married to her first husband when she married Jackson.
* Since Andrew and Rachel couldn’t have any children, they adopted one of Rachel’s brother’s twins.
American Lion is a fascinating book – I would say the readability falls between a textbook and a novel. I found myself taking notes, because this book is not a light read, but it is well worth the time it takes to read it. Don’t let the size intimidate you – there are over 100 pages of notes, etc in the back. One thing did disappoint me, though. I thought our forefathers were more honorable than people are today and I was sorry to discover they weren’t. Jackson’s term was marred by a sex scandal, the Presidential elections went on for too long, and there was plenty of political underhandedness going on. It just goes to show you – the more things change, the more they stay the same. History buffs are sure to love this thoroughly researched, well-written book.
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LibraryThing member gbelik
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
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is certainly a stunning work of research and is very readable. Show Less
LibraryThing member lanewillson
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member sjmccreary
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member michaelbartley
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
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lincoln would take full advanage of Show Less
LibraryThing member MaySuarts
American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the Whitehouse by Jon Meacham
This book really changed the way I think about Andrew Jackson. I’ve always wondered why he is considered one of the greatest presidents, in fact I always wondered why he was not condemned as a monster. American lion explains exactly
This book really changed the way I think about Andrew Jackson. I’ve always wondered why he is considered one of the greatest presidents, in fact I always wondered why he was not condemned as a monster. American lion explains exactly
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why, in a way that makes the reader see the human side of Jackson and consider all his great deeds both his heroic ones and his monstrous ones. American lion reads less like a stuffy historical biography and more like a novel. It is full of social intrigue and drama and sprinkled liberally with quotes from speeches and letters. The language of the speeches is a fun and eloquent look into the political world of the 1820s/30s. I would highly recommend this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member ALincolnNut
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member 5hrdrive
I went into this book not knowing much about the presidency of Andrew Jackson, and not having a very strong opinion about the man. While I certainly don't agree with a lot of his policies, I do have a lot more respect for him than before. He never lost a single battle that mattered, neither as
The author succeeds at letting the reader see the personal side of Jackson. I would be more interested in a book that goes into more depth about the political side and issues of the day such as nullification, secession, the bank charter, dealings with the Indians, etc. At least now I know enough about this period of 19th century American history to know what to look for in the future.
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General or President.The author succeeds at letting the reader see the personal side of Jackson. I would be more interested in a book that goes into more depth about the political side and issues of the day such as nullification, secession, the bank charter, dealings with the Indians, etc. At least now I know enough about this period of 19th century American history to know what to look for in the future.
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Awards
Pulitzer Prize (Winner — 2009)
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — Biography — 2008)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Nonfiction — 2008)
San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year (Nonfiction — 2008)
Language
Original language
English
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