Your POTUS reading list: Popular books about U.S. Presidents

No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, Presidents Day is a time to celebrate our nation’s leaders, past and present. Originally established as a way to recognize Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, many of us now pay tribute to all who have held the highest position in the land.

History buffs know there’s no shortage of biographies and books about each of the 45 men who have served in 46 presidencies. Most presidents have multiple books dedicated to their life and legacy, especially our most recent leaders. While this list is by no means exhaustive, and doesn’t cover each president or each book about them, it’s a snapshot of just a few of the men in history that helped to shape our nation.

Borrow these books and browse your library’s digital collection in the Libby app for any that didn’t make this list!

George Washington, 1st U.S. President

Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

John Adams, 2nd U.S. President

John Adams by David McCullough

Thomas Jefferson, 3rd U.S. President

Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham

Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. President

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. President

Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt by David McCullough

Franklin Roosevelt, 32nd U.S. President

Nothing to Fear: FDR's Inner Circle and the Hundred Days That Created Modern America by Adam Cohen

John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President

JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956 by Fredrik Logevall

Richard Nixon, 37th U.S. President

Richard Nixon: The Life by John A. Farrell

The White House Plumbers: The Seven Weeks That Led to Watergate and Doomed Nixon's Presidency by Egil "Bud" Krogh

Ronald Reagan, 40th U.S. President

Reagan: An American Journey by Bob Spitz

George H.W. Bush, 41st American President

All the Best, George Bush by George H.W. Bush

41: A Portrait of My Father by George W. Bush

Bill Clinton, 42nd U.S. President

Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy by Bill Clinton

Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World by Bill Clinton

George W. Bush, 43rd U.S. President

Decision Points by George W. Bush

Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants by George W. Bush

Barack Obama, 44th U.S. President

A Promised Land by Barack Obama

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama

Donald Trump, 45th U.S. President

The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump

The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward's Twenty Interviews with President Donald Trump by Bob Woodward

Joe Biden, 46th U.S. President

Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose by Joe Biden

For kids just now learning about our nation’s leaders and their very big responsibilities, these books can provide a solid introduction:

• Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents by David Stabler
• What is the President’s Job? by DK Publishing
• U.S. Presidents: Ken Jennings' Junior Genius Guides by Ken Jennings
• P is for President by Wendy Cheyette Lewison