American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

Highly readable. Relevancy to our times demonstrated perspicaciously. A historical paragon.

Never knew a third of what this book reveals about Andrew Jackson

I've always had something of an affinity for Andrew Jackson. Perhaps it's nothing more than the fact that we share a birthday (March 15th). Or maybe it's because he's generally regarded as one of the progenitors of the modern Democratic Party, of which I've been a member for almost 40 years. But now, after reading Newsweek editor Jon Meacham's rich, gracefully written biography of our seventh president, I've discovered new reasons to admire this colorful and controversial leader for the decisive role he played in shaping the modern presidency in the midst of a turbulent period of American history. Drawing upon a diverse and impressive array of sources, including letters in private hands for 175 years, Meacham (like Jackson a Tennessean) paints what he describes as "not a history of the Age of Jackson but a portrait of the man and of his complex relationships with the intimate circle that surrounded him as he transformed the presidency." Born in humble circumstances and orphaned by the age of 14, Jackson rose to the pinnacle of power amidst the rude environment of the American frontier. He killed a man in a duel and was a ruthless military leader, whose victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 catapulted him to national prominence. After winning a plurality of the popular vote and then losing the 1824 election to John Quincy Adams in the House of Representatives, Jackson captured a decisive 56 percent majority in 1828. Two dramatic political battles marked Jackson's presidency: the conflict surrounding the nullification doctrine advanced by the state of South Carolina and its chief advocate John Calhoun (Jackson's first-term Vice President), by which it claimed the right to reject laws passed by Congress, and the fight over the charter renewal of the Second Bank of the United States. Despite his belief in the principle of states' rights and the desirability of a limited federal government, Jackson maintained an unshakeable determination to preserve the unity of the new nation. "Convinced that the Union should stand strong, with the people at its mystical center," writes Meacham, "Jackson did not believe any amount of Southern sophistry --- as he would have seen it --- could destroy America." In the case of the Bank, Jackson saw himself as "the embodiment of the people standing against entrenched interests" and prevailed in his effort to block the renewal of the Bank's charter, enduring withering criticism and the formal censure of the Senate in the process. Meacham connects Jackson in a straight line to Abraham Lincoln, the next great president after a forgettable string of eight, ranging from mediocre to abysmal (Van Buren to Buchanan). Indeed there's even a link between the two, as Jackson named a 24-year-old Lincoln to the job of postmaster of New Salem, Illinois in 1833. Anyone not intimately familiar with the history of the Jackson era will come away from this account with an appreciation of the fact that had it not be

Andrew Jackson is one of those presidents who stands out in our history but for many people, we're not exactly sure why. Jon Meacham, in his excellent new book "American Lion", tells us why. Not only do we get a clearer picture of the contributions of our seventh president but Meacham goes very much inside Jackson, the man, and it's a fascinating portrait. Most of us remember Andrew Jackson as a hero of the Battle of New Orleans, at the close of the war of 1812. But Jackson as president really changed the course of the executive. He was the first of what we might call today an "imperial president" (or at least his critics of the day would have called him that...or worse) but Jackson rejected the notion that Congress had the more powerful lock on government. The great issues of the 1820s and 1830s all found their way to Jackson's office. His main idea that "nation first" was everything served him well in his executive battles. Jackson fought for the elimination of the Bank of the United States and slew the mighty dragon running it, Nicholas Biddle. Nullification, a notion that states had the right to ignore federal laws if they saw fit, was championed by South Carolina's John C. Calhoun, at once Jackson's first vice-president and later a senator from that state. Indian removal was paramount in Jackson's mind and while he succeeded to a degree, it wasn't without much bloodshed, leaving a stain on his presidency. But the most fascinating part of the Jackson presidency was the impending strife of secession and the issue of slavery. We tend not to think about those two issues arising until a decade or more after Jackson left the White House, but they were primary concerns a generation before war broke out. Meacham adds color to the story as he strives to tell of the personality of Andrew Jackson. Stubborn he was, but Jackson had a remarkably warm side as evidenced by the extended family that surrounded him during his eight years in office. An extended family they indeed were, and they were needed, especially after the death of his beloved wife, Rachel, just prior to moving to Washington in 1829. The author spends a good deal of time discussing the Eaton affair, which in large part brought down his cabinet. We learn much more about his close friend and successor, Martin Van Buren and how Jackson maneuvered to get Van Buren the presidency in 1836. "American Lion" is a valuable addition to Andrew Jackson's legacy. The narrative moves along at a good pace and is well-balanced. I give credit to Jon Meacham for writing this terrific book and I highly recommend it for its comprehensive assessments and colorful content.

I am usually not a non-fiction reader, so I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. A very quick read, it will not only provide insight in the life and politics of a president I personally knew very little about, and in the early american government system, it will also do so in a brilliant style, very enjoyable writing.

American Lion is a wonderfully crafted biography about an incredibly interesting and oft-overlooked American who helped shaped this country. Meacham evenhandedly discusses the good, the bad, and the really ugly and comes up with a revealing and insightful study of a truly fascinating subject. I highly recommend American Lion and Meacham's other books, American Gospel and Franklin and Winston, for the subject matter and his insightful and exceptional literary style.

Mr. Meacham succeeds in humanizing a very complicated figure. His narrative not only captures Old Hickory in all of his ambiguous luminosity, it also shows how understanding this President helps us to understand America -- even today. I highly recommend this book -- not only because the author is a masterful storyteller, but because he's a wise one, too, with an eye to America's struggles today and a sense of how history can help us to address them.