'Personal History' by Katharine Graham
"Graham recounts her time as publisher of the Washington Post and its coverage of Watergate and the Pentagon Papers, an altogether different era of investigative journalism."
'Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln' by Doris Kearns Goodwin
"Goodwin attributes Lincoln's success — both in winning the presidency and within his cabinet, in a radically polarized environment — to a singular political trait: empathy."
'Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power' by Jon Meacham
"As multifaceted a character as has ever been seen in American history (not to mention politics), Jefferson was perhaps the ideal leader for the young nation still struggling with external threats and its own identity. Pulitzer Prize-winner Meacham weaves the strands of Jefferson's personality into a complete portrait of a sophisticated politician and thinker — a philosopher-president."
'His Excellency: George Washington' by Joseph J. Ellis
"A complex and unusually brief portrait of of our first president from a Revolutionary Era expert, Ellis draws on Washington's own papers to illustrate the qualities — flaws and otherwise — that directed his actions and the shape of the young nation."
'Madam Secretary: A Memoir' by Madeleine Albright
"Never expect a memoir to be objective. Still, as the first female Secretary of State, Albright has many tales — and opinions — to tell about the gritty business of international relations and the people behind them, from Clinton (Bill) to Arafat, Putin to Obama."
'The Years of Lyndon Johnson Set: The Path to Power; Means of Ascent; Master of the Senate; The Passage of Power' by Robert A. Caro
"It might seem like a tough choice: The Pulitzer Prize winner's monumental four-volume life of LBJ — considered by many to be the apex of presidential biography — or 'The Power Broker,' his equally astounding tale of Robert Moses and backroom NYC politics. But the answer is simple: Read both."
'Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago' by Mike Royko
"Royko's biting account of Chicago's notoriously corrupt 'king maker' mayor serves as stark reminder that it's not only presidential elections that can deeply influence national politics."
'Truman' by David McCullough
"Another Pulitzer winner, McCullough's book examines the 'man from Missouri' who was admired — and elected — for his integrity and bedrock American values."
'My American Journey' by Colin Powell
"Throughout his career that included stints as a four-star general, National Security Advisor, and Secretary of State, Powell has maintained his integrity and belief in 'the greatness of America and the opportunities it offers.' His is an inspirational story for challenging times."
'On His Own Terms: A Life of Nelson Rockefeller' by Richard Norton Smith
"As the grandson of an oil magnate, a civil rights champion, a four-term governor of New York, and Goldwater nemesis, the life of the original 'Rockefeller Republican' was by all standards remarkable, though he fell short of his lifelong dream: the White House."
'Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance' by Barack Obama
"However you feel about his policies, Obama's election as the first African-American president represented a landmark moment in our politics and society. This book — an account of his life before national politics — offers the candid and nuanced thought born from an unprecedented life."
'My Beloved World' by Sonia Sotomayor
"Sotomayor — currently the latest judge to take a seat on the bench — tells her story from her Puerto Rican childhood to Princeton and Yale Law School, right up to the point she was sworn in as the court's first Hispanic justice."
'Benjamin Franklin: An American Life' by Walter Isaacson
"The author of 'Steve Jobs' recounts the life of probably our most colorful Founding Father, a man who preached pragmatism and tolerance, while providing conscience and shrewd commentary on the Revolution and its aftermath."
'Profiles in Courage' by John F. Kennedy
"The trouble with books by politicians is that they're almost always written as campaign tools, or if we're going to be cynical about it, 'brand extensions.' Well, JFK's might have been the first, but also probably the best. Not only did it differentiate himself as a candidate — it won a Pulitzer Prize in the process."
'No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II' by Doris Kearns Goodwin
"The second book by Goodwin on this list — and yet another Pulitzer winner — 'No Ordinary Time' explores the marriage of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, and its influence on America and World War II."
