What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted by Tevi Troy

Title: What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House

Author: Tevi Troy

Publisher: Regnery 2013

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 332

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual)

America is a country built by thinkers on a foundation of ideas. Alongside classic works of philosophy and ethics, however, our presidents have been influenced by the books, movies, TV shows, viral videos, and social media sensations of their day. In What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House presidential scholar and former White House aide Tevi Troy combines research with witty observation to tell the story of how our presidents have been shaped by popular culture.

An interesting collection of tidbits about pop culture and presidents. I learned a decent amount of trivia. Well, the volume is well-written, I knew a fair amount of the information presented. I especially enjoyed the chapters focusing on the presidents of the mid 20th century. Very interesting discussions on how Nixon and Reagan used pop culture.

Washington by Ron Chernow

Title: Washington: A Life

Author: Ron Chernow

Publisher: Penguin Press 2010

Genre: Biography

Pages: 905

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; U.S. Presidents; Chunkster; 52 Books - W36

Celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation and the first president of the United States. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one volume biography of George Washington, this crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his adventurous early years, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president. In this groundbreaking work, based on massive research, Chernow shatters forever the stereotype of George Washington as a stolid, unemotional figure and brings to vivid life a dashing, passionate man of fiery opinions and many moods.

This was a chunk of a book and I loved every page of it.   Chernow gives us a story, not a collection of random facts about Washington.  The narrative flowed from one event to another interspersed with quotes from contemporaries and even Washington himself.  I was lost in this portrait of an enigmatic figure in American history.  A majority of the book was spent on the Revolutionary War and subsequent Presidency, but we do get a nice look into early Washington.  I may have known what he did during the French and Indian War, but it was nice to read what he had to say about that time.  Chernow's tome is not for everyone, but those willing to invest in a good chunk of time should definitely pick it up.  Great biography!

The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

Title: The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

Author: Barack Obama

Publisher: Crown 2006

Genre: Memoir / Political Science

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; U.S. Presidents; ebook; 52 Books -- W4

The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama’s call for a different brand of politics—a politics for those weary of bitter partisanshipand alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He explores those forces—from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media—that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.

I'll tell you up front that I voted for Obama twice.  I'm not an ardent fan, but I definitely liked him better than what the other offered.  That being said, I went into this book with a desire to know more about his thoughts before becoming President.  It was interesting reading it with the knowledge of what he's done since 2008.  Overall I really enjoyed reading the book.  I agree with Obama on many political and cultural issues.  This country is artificially divided.  We do hold many of the same values and yet the media and politicians would have us think that every neighbor is our enemy.  The other parts that I took issue with were those that dealt with religion.  I definitely have some disagreements with Obama on that topic.  Thankfully his Presidential leadership has kept the separation of church and state intact.

2014 Reading Challenges -- Perpetual Edition

Overall, I want to focus most of my 2014 reading challenges of knocking out some of my perpetual reading challenges.  So I've chosen a few books from each challenge to help me reach my ultimate goals.

Fantasy Project: 20 Books

1. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
2. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
3. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
4. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
5. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
6. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
7. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
8. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
9. Wicked by Gregory Maguire
10. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
11. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
12. The Little Prince by
13. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
14. TBD
15. TBD
16. TBD
17. TBD
18. TBD
19. TBD
20. TBD

Nonfiction Adventure: 20 Books

1. The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir
2. Living History by Hilary Rodham Clinton
3. The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
4. John Adams by
5. Washington by
6. American Lion by
7. Woodrow Wilson by
8. Alexander Hamilton by
9. The Private World of Georgette Heyer by Jane Aiken Hodge
10. What Ifs of American History by
11. A Vindication on the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft
12. Becoming Mona Lisa by Donald Sassoon
13. The Emperor of Maladies by
14. TBD
15. TBD
16. TBD
17. TBD
18. TBD
19. TBD
20. TBD

NPR Scifi and Fantasy: 10 Books

1. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
2. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
3. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
4. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
5. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
6. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
7. Neuromancer by William Gibson
8. Contact by Carl Sagan
9. Dune by Frank Herbert
10. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

NPR Teen Books: 10 Books

1. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
2. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
3. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
5. Dune by Frank Herbert
6. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
7. TBD
8. TBD
9. TBD
10. TBD

Top 100 YA Novels: 5 Books

1. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
2. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
3. Tithe by Holly Black
4. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
5. TBD

21st Century Women Authors: 5 Books

1. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
2. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
3. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
4. House of Riverston by Kate Morton
5. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

United States of YA: 5 Books

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
3. TBD
4. TBD
5. TBD

Time Top 100: 5 Books

1. Neuromancer by William Gibson
2. Beloved by Toni Morrison
3. TBD
4. TBD
5. TBD

Rory Gilmore: 10 Books

1. The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir
2. Living History by Hilary Rodham Clinton
3. The TIme Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
4. Beloved by Toni Morrison
5. A Room with a View by E.M. Forster
6. Siddartha by Herman Hesse
7. The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
8. High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
9. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
10. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

1001 Books: 10 Books

1. Neuromancer by William Gibson
2. Contact by Carl Sagan
3. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
4. Beloved by Toni Morrison
5. A Room with a View by E.M. Forster
6. Siddartha by Herman Hesse
7. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
8. Choke by Chuck Palahniuk
9. The Little Prince by
10. The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul by Douglas Adams

U.S. Presidents: 5 Books

1. The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
2. John Adams by
3. American Lion by
4. Washington by
5. Woodrow Wilson by

U.S. Presidents Reading Project

I found this great idea for a reading challenge, but decided to change it to a perpetual reading challenge.  I was trained as a U.S. History teacher, so reading about the Presidents sounds like great fun to me.  I plan on getting started after the New Year. 

The rules are simple:

1. Read at least one non-fiction book about each of the U.S. Presidents 2. Take as much time as you need 3. Have fun learning about U.S. history and its leaders 4. And if you like buttons for your blog, feel free to add this one provided by the fabulous Michele at A Reader's Respite. Thanks, Michele!

That's it! If one book about each president sounds a bit like "too much information" to you, feel free to choose books that talk about more than one president at a time and count it for each one. Tailor this project to suit your personal level of interest. Maybe you just want a passing knowledge of each one. Maybe you found a couple presidents interesting enough to read two or three or more books about them. Maybe you'll discover so many avenues you'd like to explore that we'll need to start an American History Reading Project. :-) The possibilities are endless!

LIST OF U.S. PRESIDENTS

1. George Washington (1789-97)
2. John Adams, 1797-1801 (Federalist)
3. Thomas Jefferson, 1801-9 (Democratic-Republican)
4. James Madison, 1809-17 (Democratic-Republican)
5. James Monroe, 1817-25 (Democratic-Republican)
6. John Quincy Adams, 1825-29 (Democratic-Republican)
7. Andrew Jackson, 1829-37 (Democrat)
8. Martin Van Buren, 1837-41 (Democrat)
9. William Henry Harrison, 1841 (Whig)
10. John Tyler, 1841-45 (Whig)
11. James Knox Polk, 1845-49 (Democrat)
12.  Zachary Taylor, 1849-50 (Whig)
13. Millard Fillmore, 1850-53 (Whig)
14. Franklin Pierce, 1853-57 (Democrat)
15. James Buchanan, 1857-61 (Democrat)
16. Abraham Lincoln, 1861-65 (Republican)
17. Andrew Johnson, 1865-69 (Democrat/National Union)
18. Ulysses Simpson Grant, 1869-77 (Republican)
19. Rutherford Birchard Hayes, 1877-81 (Republican)
20. James Abram Garfield, 1881 (Republican)
21. Chester Alan Arthur, 1881-85 (Republican)
22. Grover Cleveland, 1885-89 and 1893-97 (Democrat)
23. Benjamin Harrison, 1889-93 (Republican)
24. William McKinley, 1897-1901 (Republican)
25. Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-9 (Republican)
26. William Howard Taft, 1909-13 (Republican)
27. Woodrow Wilson, 1913-21 (Democrat)
28. Warren Gamaliel Harding, 1921-23 (Republican)
29. Calvin Coolidge, 1923-29 (Republican)
30. Herbert Clark Hoover, 1929-33 (Republican)
31. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1933-45 (Democrat)
32. Harry S. Truman, 1945-53 (Democrat)
33. Dwight David Eisenhower, 1953-61 (Republican)
34. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1961-63 (Democrat)
35. Lyndon Baines Johnson, 1963-69 (Democrat)
36. Richard Milhous Nixon, 1969-74 (Republican)
37. Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr , 1974-77 (Republican)
38. James Earl Carter, 1977-81 (Democrat)
39. Ronald Wilson Reagan, 1981-89 (Republican)
40. George Herbert Walker Bush, 1989-1993 (Republican)
41. William Jefferson Clinton, 1993-2001 (Democrat)
42. George W. Bush, 2001-2009 (Republican)
43. Barack Hussein Obama, 2009- (Democrat)