Selected Reading for President’s Day

Music Monday at UPM has been interrupted by Presidents Day. Below is a selection of books from UPM about U.S. Presidents that will help make your Presidents Day much more educational.

Thomas Jefferson on Wine is a good reminder that President’s, even the founding fathers have other interests besides government. This book provides unprecedented insight into Jefferson's character from a unique perspective. Author John Hailman explores the third president's fascination with scores of wines from his student days at Williamsburg to his lengthy retirement years at Monticello, often using Jefferson's own words from hundreds of immensely readable and surprisingly modern letters on the subject. 

Ike's Spies: Eisenhower and the Espionage Establishment First published in 1981, the Steven Ambrose volume is a revealing probe into the 1950s spy world. At the top of the intelligence pyramid, our 34th President shouldered some of the greatest coups in espionage history, as well as some of its most ignominious failures.

The Supreme Commander: The War Years of Dwight D. Eisenhower This title pairs nicely with the Ambrose book above. First published in 1970, this Stephen Ambrose book traces the development of Eisenhower's generalcy during the World War II. Eisenhower's role in the world's biggest war is absorbing as reading and invaluable as a reference. 

Jack Nelson with President Reagan

Scoop: The Evolution of a Southern Reporter While this book is not directly about a president, Jack Nelson was a former Washington Bureau Chief for the Los Angeles Times and covered four presidential terms. And most recently Nelson’s widow and editor of Scoop, Barbara Matusow, took part in a panel discussion with Jimmy Carter in which Nelson's extraordinary career as a journalist was the topic.

Across the Aisle: The Seven-Year Journey of the Historic Montgomery GI Bill Using gentle humor, some 450 visuals, and debate drawn from actual legislative events, the late U.S. Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery helps readers relive the Montgomery GI Bill's 1987 enactment, while learning each step of the way. Features a foreword by 41st President George H.W. Bush.