American Lion (book)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House'' is a
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
biography of
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
, the
seventh Seventh is the ordinal form of the number seven. Seventh may refer to: * Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution * A fraction (mathematics), , equal to one of seven equal parts Film and television *"The Seventh", a second-season e ...
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
, written by
Jon Meacham Jon Ellis Meacham (; born May 20, 1969) is an American writer, reviewer, historian and presidential biographer who is serving as the current Canon Historian of the Washington National Cathedral since November 7, 2021. A former executive editor ...
. It won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Biography, with the prize jury describing it as "an unflinching portrait of a not always admirable democrat but a pivotal president, written with an agile prose that brings the Jackson saga to life". Meacham wrote ''American Lion'' drawing in part on previously unavailable documents, including letters, diaries, memorabilia, and accounts from Jackson's intimate circle that had been largely privately owned for 175 years. Much of the correspondence was found in archives at the Hermitage, Jackson's estate in Nashville,
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
. ''American Lion'' is not a full-scale account of Jackson's entire life or political career, but rather focuses on his
presidency A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified b ...
and his domestic arrangements in the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
. ''American Lion'' focuses a great deal on the
Bank War The Bank War was a political struggle that developed over the issue of rechartering the Second Bank of the United States (B.U.S.) during the presidency of Andrew Jackson (1829–1837). The affair resulted in the shutdown of the Bank and its re ...
, the federal tariff on imports, and the
Petticoat affair The Petticoat affair (also known as the Eaton affair) was a political scandal involving members of President Andrew Jackson's Cabinet and their wives, from 1829 to 1831. Led by Floride Calhoun, wife of Vice President John C. Calhoun, these wo ...
, during which Meacham claimed "the future of the American presidency was at stake". Meacham believed Jackson represented the best and worst of American character, citing his simultaneous capacity for kindness and cruelty. Of all the early U.S. presidents and Founding Fathers, Meacham believed Jackson was "the most like us", and had the strongest influence on the modern presidency. In writing ''American Lion'', Meacham said he sought not to whitewash Jackson or "all his sins, which are enormous", such as his support of
slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
and Indian removal. ''American Lion'' received generally positive reviews. It was included on ''
The New York Times Book Review ''The New York Times Book Review'' (''NYTBR'') is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times'' in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely rea ...
''s list of 100 Notable Books of 2008, and was ranked one of the best books of 2008 by ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
''s ''Book World''. Critics praised Meacham's writing, the depth of research, Jackson's riveting story, and the placement of Jackson's legacy in a modern context. Mixed or negative reviews accused Meacham of portraying Jackson too positively or spending too much time on political scandals. The book has reportedly been read by U.S. Presidents
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
and
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
, and praised by such figures as Mike Pence, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill O'Reilly, Jon Stewart,
Eric Cantor Eric Ivan Cantor (born June 6, 1963) is an American lawyer and former politician who represented Virginia's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2014. A Republican, Cantor served as House Minori ...
, and
Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...
. In 2015, HBO announced it was working on a television miniseries adaptation of ''American Lion'' starring
Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...
as Andrew Jackson, but the project stalled after the departure of director
Phillip Noyce Phillip Noyce (born 29 April 1950) is an Australian filmmaker. Since 1977, he has directed over 19 feature films in various genres, including historical drama ('' Newsfront'', '' Rabbit-Proof Fence'', '' The Quiet American''); thrillers (''Dead ...
over reported disagreements with Jackson's depiction.


Synopsis

''American Lion'' opens just after
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
's victory in the
1828 United States presidential election The 1828 United States presidential election was the 11th quadrennial presidential election. It was held from Friday, October 31 to Tuesday, December 2, 1828. It featured a repetition of the 1824 election, as President John Quincy Adams of the N ...
. Author
Jon Meacham Jon Ellis Meacham (; born May 20, 1969) is an American writer, reviewer, historian and presidential biographer who is serving as the current Canon Historian of the Washington National Cathedral since November 7, 2021. A former executive editor ...
writes about the viciousness of the election and the death of
Rachel Jackson Rachel Jackson ( ''née'' Donelson; June 15, 1767 – December 22, 1828) was the wife of Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States.
immediately afterward, which Jackson blames on his attacks by his political enemies during the campaign. The book then touches upon Jackson's early life, including his birth in the
Waxhaws The Waxhaws is a geographical region extending beyond both sides of the border between what now is North Carolina and South Carolina, United States. It encompasses the areas currently known as Lancaster, Union and Mecklenburg counties. The name ...
region of the Carolinas and his family life. It briefly covers his marriage to Rachel, legal career, move to Nashville,
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, and his military career, particularly his role in the
Battle of New Orleans The Battle of New Orleans was fought on January 8, 1815 between the British Army under Major General Sir Edward Pakenham and the United States Army under Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson, roughly 5 miles (8 km) southeast of the Frenc ...
and the part it played in elevating his reputation. The book then segues into the beginning of his political career, his rivalries with Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, and his loss in the 1824 presidential election despite winning the popular vote, which Jackson regarded as a " corrupt bargain" by his political enemies. Returning to Jackson's presidency, Meacham defines patronage, the
Bank War The Bank War was a political struggle that developed over the issue of rechartering the Second Bank of the United States (B.U.S.) during the presidency of Andrew Jackson (1829–1837). The affair resulted in the shutdown of the Bank and its re ...
, the nullification crisis, Indian removal, clerical influence in politics, internal improvements, and respect abroad as the questions that would define Jackson's
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
years. Meacham wrote that, to many in established Washington, Jackson's arrival "signaled the destruction of the rule of the nation in an atmosphere of geniality and gentility".. By contrast, Meacham wrote that Jackson felt the country was "suffering from a crisis of corruption (in) the marshaling of power and influence by a few institutions and interests that sought to profit at the expense of the whole". According to the book, Jackson felt the President should "use his powers with a firm hand", whereas his foes thought of
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
as the government's center of gravity. Meacham wrote that Jackson's most enduring conviction was that, as President, he was acting selflessly in the interest of the nation and of its mass of citizens, and that his own will was the same as the will of the country. Meacham wrote: "No institution, he argued, should stand between the people and the presidency. ... No president had spoken in such a way before." Meacham focuses a great deal on Jackson's determination to end the
Second Bank of the United States The Second Bank of the United States was the second federally authorized Hamiltonian national bank in the United States. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the bank was chartered from February 1816 to January 1836.. The Bank's formal name, ...
, which was presided over by
Nicholas Biddle Nicholas Biddle (January 8, 1786February 27, 1844) was an American financier who served as the third and last president of the Second Bank of the United States (chartered 1816–1836). Throughout his life Biddle worked as an editor, diplomat, au ...
, and which Jackson believed had been manipulated by Clay to assist with
John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, and diarist who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States ...
's election to the presidency in 1824. Jackson regarded the bank as a fundamentally corrupt institution and "the embodiment of unfair privilege". The book highlights Biddle's challenge to Jackson in pressing for recharter and his attempt to use the influence of the Bank to harm his reelection. It covers Jackson's
veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president or monarch vetoes a bill to stop it from becoming law. In many countries, veto powers are established in the country's constitution. Veto ...
of the charter, attempts by Biddle and Clay to see the veto overridden, and ultimately the decision by the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
in 1834 not to override the veto, ensuring the Bank would not be rechartered. The book also discusses Jackson's role in the removal of Native Americans to lands west of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
. Meacham wrote: "Jackson believed in removal with all his heart, and by refusing to entertain any other scenario, he was as ferocious in inflicting harm on ''a'' people as he often was in defending the rights of those he thought of as ''the'' people." As the book recounts, Jackson was not compelled by treaties signed and assurances previously provided to Native Americans; he did not believe that they had title to the land, and he would not tolerate what he felt were competing sovereignties within the nation. It details Jackson's support for the successful passage of the
Indian Removal Act The Indian Removal Act was signed into law on May 28, 1830, by United States President Andrew Jackson. The law, as described by Congress, provided "for an exchange of lands with the Indians residing in any of the states or territories, and for ...
, which would ultimately lead to the
Trail of Tears The Trail of Tears was an ethnic cleansing and forced displacement of approximately 60,000 people of the " Five Civilized Tribes" between 1830 and 1850 by the United States government. As part of the Indian removal, members of the Cherokee, ...
. ''American Lion'' also highlights Jackson's feelings on what he called the "absurd and wicked doctrines of nullification and secession", and his confrontation with the state of
South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
regarding the issue of nullification after the state declared the Tariffs of 1828 and
1832 Events January–March * January 6 – Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison founds the New-England Anti-Slavery Society. * January 13 – The Christmas Rebellion of slaves is brought to an end in Jamaica, after the island's white plant ...
unconstitutional and therefore void within the state's boundaries. Meacham described the nullification crisis as "perhaps the most delicate mission of his life – how to preserve the Union without appearing so tyrannical and power-hungry that other Southern states might join with South Carolina, precipitating an even graver crisis that could lead to the secession of several states." The book covers Jackson's support of the
Force Bill The Force Bill, formally titled "''An Act further to provide for the collection of duties on imports''", (1833), refers to legislation enacted by the 22nd U.S. Congress on March 2, 1833, during the nullification crisis. Passed by Congress at ...
, which authorized the President to use military forces against South Carolina if necessary, as well as the Compromise Tariff of 1833, which ultimately ended the crisis. Finally, the book focuses on
Emily Donelson Emily Donelson (June 1, 1807 – December 19, 1836) was the niece of Rachel Donelson Jackson. She served as White House hostess, a role that effectively made her an acting first lady of the United States. Early life and marriage Emily Tennessee ...
's role as White House hostess and de facto First Lady of the United States. Meacham wrote: "Family life was crucial to Jackson, who had known so little of it growing up, and Emily ensured that the White House was a sanctuary for him." The book also discusses the
Petticoat affair The Petticoat affair (also known as the Eaton affair) was a political scandal involving members of President Andrew Jackson's Cabinet and their wives, from 1829 to 1831. Led by Floride Calhoun, wife of Vice President John C. Calhoun, these wo ...
, during which Jackson's
Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...
John Eaton John Eaton may refer to: * John Eaton (divine) (born 1575), English divine * John Eaton (pirate) (fl. 1683–1686), English buccaneer *Sir John Craig Eaton (1876–1922), Canadian businessman * John Craig Eaton II (born 1937), Canadian businessman ...
was socially ostracized due to his wife
Peggy Eaton Margaret O'Neill (or O'Neale) Timberlake Eaton (December 3, 1799 – November 8, 1879), was the wife of John Henry Eaton, a United States senator from Tennessee and United States Secretary of War, and a confidant of Andrew Jackson. Their mar ...
's perceived moral failings and lack of sexual virtue. The scandal generated considerable chaos and controversy during Jackson's administration, during which Jackson felt, according to Meacham, that "to acknowledge the Eatons was to side with Jackson; to snub the Eatons was to oppose Jackson". Meacham wrote that Jackson's interpretation of the Petticoat affair was that he was "acting for the common democratic good", while aristocratic elites were acting against him out of jealousy of his power in Washington. The book highlights how
Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren ( ; nl, Maarten van Buren; ; December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the eighth president of the United States from 1837 to 1841. A primary founder of the Democratic Party, he ...
endeared himself to Jackson by siding with him during the scandal, and how the Petticoat affair led to resignations from Jackson's cabinet that sparked "a national debate over Jackson's first three years of leadership and whether he should have another term". Following the conclusion of Jackson's two terms, ''American Lion'' ends with a brief synopsis of his post-presidency life,. including Emily Donelson's death, and Jackson's own death in 1845.


Writing and sources

Jon Meacham was the editor of ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely ...
'' magazine at the time that ''American Lion'' was released. It was the third book he wrote, following '' Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship'' (2003) and '' American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation'' (2006).
Jonathan Karp Jonathan Karp is an American book editor, publisher, and writer. Prior to being named publisher of Simon & Schuster in 2010, he was the founder of Twelve, an imprint at the Hachette Book Group, and the editor-in-chief of Random House. He was the ...
, an editor at
Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...
, was the first to suggest Andrew Jackson as a subject to Meacham. The book took about five years to write, with Meacham drawing in part on previously unavailable documents, including letters from Jackson's intimate circle that had been largely privately owned for 175 years. Meacham said he was "surprised, delightfully so" by the number of new sources that emerged in the course of his research, which he said "provide hitherto unknown details about a lost world that foreshadowed and shaped our own". Most of the previously unpublished correspondence was found in archives at the Hermitage, Jackson's estate in Nashville,
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
. Among them were unpublished letters in the Benjamin and Gertrude Caldwell Collection, which were housed at the Hermitage. Meacham was also given access to a private collection of letters kept by Mrs. John Lawrence Merritt, as well as John Donelson's collection at Nashville's Cleveland Hall. This Cleveland Hall collection included unpublished diaries, and about 60 to 70 previously unreleased letters, including several from Andrew Donelson and Andrew Jackson Jr. Meacham described the Cleveland Hall, Merritt, and Caldwell letters in particular as "critical" to his book. The Merritt letters included new details about Emily Donelson's role in the life of the White House, as well as the fact that John Henry Eaton considered resigning from Jackson's administration in the spring of 1829. Meacham said this was particularly notable because, had he resigned, it might have preserved John C. Calhoun's viability as a presidential successor to Jackson and changed the course of Jackson's first term. The Merritt and Caldwell letters also shed new light on the central role Emily and Andrew Donelson played in the early lives of Andrew and Rachel Jackson, and included allusions to such important issues during Jackson's presidency as the tariff, nullification, the Bank war, and the efforts by those seeking to succeed Jackson in 1836. The Donelson letters offered details about the harshness of partisan politics of the 1830s, life in the White House and the Jackson circle in the South, and the extent of slave trading in Jackson's family during the White House years. They also "examine how Jackson's deliberations on the crucial issues of the day played out against this background of weddings, births, and White House frolics". While writing the book Meacham developed a relationship with the Donelson family, which helped gain an immediacy in writing about events of the early 1800s. Meacham said: "My lens was, 'What was it like to walk through those hallways?' This is the first time we've known what it was like to live in the White House in Andrew Jackson's time." Meacham was also given access to private collection of letters and memorabilia held by Scott Ward, a descendant of Andrew Jackson Jr. living in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
. Among those letters was the reply of Thomas Marshall to the last letter of Jackson's life. Other sources for ''American Lion'' included unpublished letters and diary entries from the papers of John Quincy Adams and his wife Louisa, as well as letters from British, Dutch, and French diplomatic archives, which provided observations on the political and social scenes of Washington, D.C. Among these was a note from Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley discussing the risk of the union's collapse during the crisis of nullification. Meacham also accessed letters from
Treasury Secretary The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
Samuel Ingham detailing a near gunfight with John Henry Eaton. Maria Campbell shared with Meacham ''The Memoirs of Mrs. Eliza Williams Chotard Gould'', a private and unpublished account by Campbell's great-great-great-grandmother which included eyewitness accounts of Jackson in
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
just before and after his military victory over the British.. Meacham received guidance from several historians during the course of writing ''American Lion'', including
Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. Arthur Meier Schlesinger Jr. (; born Arthur Bancroft Schlesinger; October 15, 1917 – February 28, 2007) was an American historian, social critic, and public intellectual. The son of the influential historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Sr. and a s ...
, the author of ''The Age of Jackson'';
Sean Wilentz Robert Sean Wilentz (; born February 20, 1951) is the George Henry Davis 1886 Professor of American History at Princeton University, where he has taught since 1979. His primary research interests include U.S. social and political history in the ...
; and Daniel Feller, editor of ''The Papers of Andrew Jackson'' and author of ''The Public Lands in Jacksonian Politics'' and ''The Jacksonian Promise: America, 1815–1840''. Meacham also acknowledged the influence Jackson scholars
James Parton James Parton (February 9, 1822 – October 17, 1891) was an English-born American biographer who wrote books on the lives of Horace Greeley, Aaron Burr, Andrew Jackson, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Voltaire, and contributed three b ...
and Robert V. Remini had over his work on ''American Lion''. First Lady of the United States Laura Bush and Jean Becker, chief of staff to former President George H. W. Bush, allowed Meacham to tour the private quarters of the White House as part of his research, and Meacham also visited the
United States Capitol The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill ...
. Meacham said his personal opinion of Jackson had improved by the end of the writing process, saying: "There are two ways to write a biography. One is to be utterly hostile. The other is to be empathetic. I chose to be empathetic."


Themes

Meacham said he named the book ''American Lion'' because he felt lions make both the best allies and the worst enemies, which he felt captured the contradictions at Jackson's core: "If he were on your side, he would do all he could to protect you. If he believed you a foe, then he was a ferocious and merciless predator." Meacham believed Jackson represented the best and worst of American character, citing his simultaneous capacity for kindness and cruelty. Meacham believed of all the early U.S. presidents and Founding Fathers, Jackson was "the most like us", and the duality of Jackson's nature is one shared by America itself. To that end, Meacham believed an understanding of Jackson leads to an understanding of the capacity Americans have for
cognitive dissonance In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the perception of contradictory information, and the mental toll of it. Relevant items of information include a person's actions, feelings, ideas, beliefs, values, and things in the environmen ...
, particularly in tolerating inequality and injustice while convincing themselves that they are in fact striving for those virtues. ''American Lion'' is not a full-scale account of Jackson's entire life or political career, but rather focuses on his presidency and his domestic arrangements in the White House... Meacham said he did not seek to write an academic study of Jackson's presidency because he believed that territory had already been covered by multiple biographies and historical accounts, and instead he "attempted to paint a biographical portrait of Jackson and of many of the people who lived and worked with him in his tumultuous years in power". Through his forceful character and aggressive actions in the office, Meacham believes Jackson influenced the modern presidency more than any other chief executive that came before him. In particular, Meacham believed Jackson helped shaped such aspects of modern American politics as popular campaigning techniques, media manipulation, and engaging citizens in the narrative of politics while simultaneously governing. Meacham wrote: "All of these features flowered in the age of Jackson, and they all feel very contemporary." Ann Robinson of ''
The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 18 ...
'' wrote that the book illustrates how Jackson has changed the U.S. presidency in ways that continue to resonate in modern times, particularly in his expansive claims for the executive branch's inherent constitutional powers, such as the veto. Author Robert Roper noted that ''American Lion'' largely does not contest the mainstream interpretation of Jackson's story, though journalist and critic
Janet Maslin Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for ''The New York Times''. She served as a ''Times'' film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin ...
said the book "dispenses with the usual view of Jackson as a Tennessee hothead and instead sees a cannily ambitious figure determined to reshape the power of the presidency during his time in office". According to Maslin, ''American Lion'' portrays Jackson as more calculating than he is often considered to be, and describes how Jackson's rivals like Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun often misunderstood his true agenda because they could not see past his confrontational style. Likewise, author and historian Douglas Brinkley noted that most historians tends to disregard Jackson's intellectual abilities, but that later chapters of ''American Lion'' in particular focus on this aspect of Jackson and "separate Jackson from his rough-and-tumble reputation and to present him in a more multi-dimensional way". Meacham said he did not want ''American Lion'' to whitewash Jackson or "all his sins, which are enormous", such as his support of
slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
and Indian removal. Meacham wrote: "In the saga of the Jackson presidency, one marked by both democratic triumphs and racist tragedies, we can see the American character in formation and in action." Meacham believed "the tragedy of Jackson's life is that a man dedicated to freedom failed to see liberty as a universal, not a particular, gift." Conversely, Meacham believed one of the triumphs of Jackson's life was that he held together a country which ultimately – albeit belatedly – extended its protections and promises to all. Meacham felt that progress would not have been possible if Jackson had not thwarted the divisive forces of his day, writing: "By saving the Union, Jackson kept the possibility of progress alive." Author and ''
The Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is a daily newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Blethen family since 1896. ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in Washington ...
'' book reviewer Steve Weinberg argued ''American Lion'' presents Jackson through the great man theory, which believes the character of the ruler determines events more than events wash over the ruler. However, Weinberg also noted that Meacham "wisely dilutes" the great man theory by emphasizing Jackson's chief advisers and family. ''American Lion'' tells what Roper called the "human-interest saga of the Jackson circle", with a heavy focus on the people closest to him during his presidency, such as Andrew Jackson Donelson and Emily Donelson. Through his portrayal of Jackson's reaction to those with whom he disagreed during the Petticoat affair, Maslin said ''American Lion'' "convey(s) the stubbornness with which Jackson turned seemingly personal conflicts among the women in his life into matters of public concern". According to ''The New York Times'' writer Andrew Cayton, ''American Lion'' presents Jackson as a man to whom "personal loyalty was always the supreme law", and as someone who considers his personal enemies to be enemies of the nation itself. In the book, Meacham argued that because Jackson was orphaned, and never had any biological children himself, he spent much of his life forming substitute families that he would protect like a father: first with the soldiers who served under him, and then later with his surrogate son Andrew Jackson Donelson. ''American Lion'' also portrays Jackson as taking a very paternalistic approach to the presidency itself,. noting Jackson's words that he looked at his citizens "with the feelings of a father". Maslin wrote: "In Mr. Meacham's view, Jackson's paternalism was sincere: no president may have felt more literally like the father of his country." Jackson's view of himself as a paternal role even extended to his treatment of Native Americans, with him viewing his removal policies as a sensible and proactive step to move them out of harm's way and protect them.


Publication and sales

Prior to the publication of ''American Lion'', Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Daniel Feller read the manuscript and fielded questions from Meacham about the work. Historians
Walter Isaacson Walter Seff Isaacson (born May 20, 1952) is an American author, journalist, and professor. He has been the President and CEO of the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C., the chair and CEO of CNN, ...
and
Doris Kearns Goodwin Doris Helen Kearns Goodwin (born January 4, 1943) is an American biographer, historian, former sports journalist, and political commentator. She has written biographies of several U.S. presidents, including ''Lyndon Johnson and the American Drea ...
also read the manuscript,. and different sections of it were reviewed in advance of publication by such historians and scholars as Catherine Allgor, H. W. Brands, Andrew Burstein, Mark Cheathem,
Donald B. Cole Donald Barnard Cole (March 31, 1922 – October 5, 2013), born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, was professor emeritus at Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire, and the author of books on early American history, including ''Martin Van Buren and the Amer ...
, William W. Freehling, Richard Latner, John F. Marszalek, and Matthew Warshauer. Meacham's book was published within five years of the release of several books about Andrew Jackson by such authors as
Sean Wilentz Robert Sean Wilentz (; born February 20, 1951) is the George Henry Davis 1886 Professor of American History at Princeton University, where he has taught since 1979. His primary research interests include U.S. social and political history in the ...
,
Daniel Walker Howe Daniel Walker Howe (born January 10, 1937) is an American historian who specializes in the early national period of U.S. history, with a particular interest in its intellectual and religious dimensions. He was Rhodes Professor of American Histor ...
and Andrew Burstein. Robert Roper, an author who reviewed ''American Lion'' for the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'', said Meacham's book did not contest the portrayals of Jackson presented in those books, but rather it "selectively enriches that version with graceful new readings of some formerly overlooked primary materials". ''American Lion'' debuted at #2 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller's list, and remained on the list for more than six months. According to ''
Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
'', ''American Lion'' sold 463,678 copies domestically in the calendar year 2018. Following the book's publication, Meacham was named to the board of directors of the Hermitage, and was also named a trustee of the Andrew Jackson Foundation. An
audiobook An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements. Spoken audio has been available in sc ...
version of ''American Lion'', narrated by
Richard McGonagle Richard Francis McGonagle (born October 22, 1946) is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his voice work in various video games, movies and television shows. He is also known for his work by voicing Colonel Taggart in ''Prototype'', O ...
, was released by Random House Audio on November 11, 2008.


Reception

''American Lion'' received generally positive reviews. It was included on ''
The New York Times Book Review ''The New York Times Book Review'' (''NYTBR'') is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times'' in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely rea ...
''s list of 100 Notable Books of 2008, and was ranked one of the best books of 2008 by ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
''s ''Book World''. The ''Post''s blog '' The Fix'' also included it on its list of best presidential biographies. ''American Lion'' was featured on ''The New York Times'' list of "17 Great Books About American Presidents", and on
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
's list (compiled by various book editors) of "100 Biographies and Memoirs to Read in a Lifetime". Author and historian Douglas Brinkley called it "the most readable single-volume biography ever written of our seventh president". ''The New York Times'' literary critic Janet Maslin called it a "carefully analytical biography (which) looks past the theatrics and posturing to the essential elements of Jackson's many showdowns". Andrew Cayton, also of ''The New York Times'', called the book "enormously entertaining, especially in the deft descriptions of Jackson's personality and domestic life in his White House", but felt Meacham has missed an opportunity to reflect on the nature of American populism as personified by Jackson. Presidential biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin called ''American Lion'' "a beautifully written, absolutely riveting story", describing Meacham as "a master storyteller (who) interweaves the lives of Jackson and the members of his inner circle to create a highly original work". Historian
Michael Beschloss Michael Richard Beschloss (born November 30, 1955) is an American historian specializing in the United States presidency. He is the author of nine books on the presidency. Early life Beschloss was born in Chicago, grew up in Flossmoor, Illinois, ...
called it "a spellbinding, brilliant and irresistible journey (that) shows us how the old hero transformed both the American presidency and the nation he led." Journalist and author Allen Barra called ''American Lion'' probably the "fullest and most balanced biography" of Andrew Jackson. In a review for ''Los Angeles Times'', Robert Roper called it an engaging book that enriches the story of Andrew Jackson, and "comes most startlingly alive when he tells the old, amazing story of the ill-educated rube who invented modern politics". Deirdre Donahue of ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'' called it "marvelously readable", and said Meacham "displays his gift for illustrating how personal bonds and personal experience influence history". In a review for ''
Rocky Mountain News The ''Rocky Mountain News'' (nicknamed the ''Rocky'') was a daily newspaper published in Denver, Colorado, United States, from April 23, 1859, until February 27, 2009. It was owned by the E. W. Scripps Company from 1926 until its closing. As ...
'', Dan Danbom called ''American Lion'' a readable account of an interesting and colorful historical figure, and while he felt Meacham could have provided more historical context in parts, he believes the parallels between Jackson's time and contemporary politics made it recommended reading. ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' reporter Justin Wm. Moyer identified ''American Lion'' as the definitive Jackson biography. Steve Weinberg of ''The Seattle Times'' said Meacham "deserves credit for modernizing Jackson so that a new generation of readers might discover him". Erik J. Chaput of ''
The Providence Journal ''The Providence Journal'', colloquially known as the ''ProJo'', is a daily newspaper serving the metropolitan area of Providence, Rhode Island, and is the largest newspaper in Rhode Island. The newspaper was first published in 1829. The newspape ...
'' called ''American Lion'' an "engaging and oftentimes brilliant study" of Jackson, and felt it was at its best during its analysis and discussion of the Petticoat Affair. He added: "No book published on Jackson in recent memory is more illuminating about his life, his family, his political ideology, and his religious beliefs". '' The Journal'' writer Trevor Seigler said the book should go a long way toward correcting misconceptions about Jackson, writing: "You'll certainly never see the $20 bill the same way again." In a review for ''New York Journal of Books'', author and poet J. W. Nicklaus called ''American Lion'' a skillfully rendered biography that reads like a novel rather than a dry historical account, and he complimented Meacham for collating such a vast volume of information into an accessible biography. Dean Poling of ''
The Valdosta Daily Times ''The Valdosta Daily Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It is the highest-circulation property operated by South Georgia Media Group, a division of Community Newspaper Holdings CNHI, LLC (formerly Commu ...
'' called it an excellent biography "in prose that reads like a novel". In a review for ''
The Manhattan Mercury The Manhattan Mercury is the local newspaper for Manhattan, Kansas. The ''Mercury'' is a daily newspaper published in the afternoon five days a week, and in the morning on Sunday. No Saturday edition is issued. The newspaper is physically printe ...
'', Ed Horne called ''American Lion'' impressive in scope and "of textbook quality, but still a lively read of a crucial era of American history". ''
St. Louis Post-Dispatch The ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' is a major regional newspaper based in St. Louis, Missouri, serving the St. Louis metropolitan area. It is the largest daily newspaper in the metropolitan area by circulation, surpassing the ''Belleville News-De ...
'' book reviewer Myron A. Marty called ''American Lion'' a "elegantly written, thoroughly researched book", as well as "a paean to Jackson", writing that Meacham "makes no attempt to conceal his boundless admiration for the man and his accomplishments". He felt Meacham spent too much time on the scandals and political infighting from Jackson's administration, but felt this imbalance was "countered by Meacham's sensitive portrayal of Jackson's interactions with members of his family". Other reviews were more mixed. Jill Lepore of ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'' called ''American Lion'' "engrossing" but felt it was too admiring of Jackson, arguing it did not assign Jackson enough blame for the Panic of 1837 that ensued nine weeks after his Presidency. Ann Robinson of ''The Oregonian'' reviewed the book positively, but said Meacham examines the Petticoat affair "in somewhat tedious detail", and felt Meacham's attempts to humanize Jackson "with tales of his visits to orphans or of his fondness for children and his enduring love for his wife" were of limited success. Joe Pompeo of ''
The New York Observer ''The New York Observer'' was a weekly newspaper printed from 1987 to 2016, when it ceased print publication and became the online-only newspaper ''Observer''. The media site focuses on culture, real estate, media, politics and the entertainmen ...
'' felt the second half of the book was the most interesting because of the focus on the Eaton affair and because the issues Jackson tackled in his second term were themselves more interesting. However, he expressed surprise that the book so rarely turns to life outside Washington: "The people, for all their centrality to Jackson's administration, are also the most notable omission in Mr. Meacham's account." Adera Causey of ''
Chattanooga Times Free Press The ''Chattanooga Times Free Press'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is distributed in the metropolitan Chattanooga region of southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia. It is one of Tennessee's majo ...
'' called Meacham a "solid writer (who) seamlessly explicates complicated political issues", and presents Jackson's story in an approachable format. However, she said he spent too much time on the Eaton affair and could have devoted more attention to such issues as the handling of Native American land rights, slavery, and the unique roles of church and state. ''The Washington Post'' columnist
Michael Gerson Michael John Gerson (May 15, 1964 – November 17, 2022) was an American journalist and speechwriter. He was a neoconservative op-ed columnist for ''The Washington Post'', a Policy Fellow with One Campaign, a visiting fellow with the Center for ...
called the book "brilliant in everything except its reverence for its subject".
Alex Beam Alex Beam (born Jacob Alexander Beam in 1954)Staff report (July 2000) ''Stanford Magazine'' is an American writer and journalist. He retired as a columnist for ''The Boston Globe'' in 2012, but still contributes to the paper's op-ed page. He h ...
, columnist for ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'', was very critical of ''American Lion'', saying he attempted to portray Jackson too positively, and "trafficks in treacly legends", and calling the book "laughable" and "piffle". Beam wrote: "Meacham is a smooth writer and I can't fault him for seeking the shortest possible path to the bank, penning triumphalist, jingoistic hogwash". An '' AudioFile'' review of the ''American Lion'' audiobook complimented Richard McGonagle's vocal delivery, which it said improved upon the "sometimes chatty and unabashedly pro-Jackson history" presented in the narrative itself. ''American Lion'' was read by U.S. President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
, according to his advisor Karl Rove. U.S. President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
, who maintains that he does not read many books, claimed to have read ''American Lion''. Others who have voiced enjoyment of the book include U.S. Vice President Mike Pence,
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...
co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, former House Majority Leader
Eric Cantor Eric Ivan Cantor (born June 6, 1963) is an American lawyer and former politician who represented Virginia's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2014. A Republican, Cantor served as House Minori ...
, former ''
The Daily Show ''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central with release shortly after on Paramount+. ''The Daily Show'' draws its comedy and satire form from ...
'' host Jon Stewart, and former White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah. Political commentator Bill O'Reilly complimented the book, calling it a "fair assessment" of Jackson and saying it deserved the Pulitzer Prize. Nashville Mayor John Cooper has called it his favorite book, and country music singer
Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...
has called it one of his favorites. Tim Walch, a historian and former director of the
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and burial place of Herbert Clark Hoover, the 31st president of the United States (1929–1933), located on the grounds of the Herbert Hoover National Historic S ...
in
West Branch West Branch may refer to: Communities * West Branch, Iowa, city in Cedar and Johnson counties * West Branch, Michigan, city in Ogemaw County * West Branch, New Brunswick, in the Local Service District of Weldford Parish * West Branch River John, i ...
,
Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...
, included ''American Lion'' in his 2015 list of books that all the U.S. presidential candidates should read, and it was the ''
Buffalo News ''The Buffalo News'' is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York. It recently sold its headquarters to Uniland Development Corp. It was for decades the only paper fully owned by W ...
'' Book Club selection of February 2010. Actor Benjamin Walker read ''American Lion'' as part of his preparation to play Andrew Jackson in the
rock musical A rock musical is a musical theatre work with rock music. The genre of rock musical may overlap somewhat with album musicals, concept albums and song cycles, as they sometimes tell a story through the rock music, and some album musicals and conc ...
''
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson ''Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson'' is a rock musical with music and lyrics written by Michael Friedman and a book written by its director Alex Timbers. The show is a comedic historical rock musical about the founding of the Democratic Party. It r ...
''; he called it a "great book". When Meacham first sought to write '' Destiny and Power'' (2015), a biography of President George H. W. Bush, Bush said he was intimidated because he felt he was a very different figure than Andrew Jackson as portrayed in the book, saying: "It is a little overwhelming to think that I would be following a lion."


Awards and honors

''American Lion'' received the Pulitzer Prize for Biography. When the Pulitzer Prize jury awarded the book in 2009, the judges described it as "an unflinching portrait of a not always admirable democrat but a pivotal president, written with an agile prose that brings the Jackson saga to life". ''American Lion'' was also nominated for a 2008 ''Los Angeles Times'' Book Prize for Best Biography, losing to ''Ida: A Sword Among Lions'', the Paula Giddings biography of
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
investigative journalist
Ida B. Wells Ida B. Wells (full name: Ida Bell Wells-Barnett) (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931) was an American investigative journalist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement. She was one of the founders of the National Association for ...
.


Adaptations

In December 2015, HBO announced it was working on a six-hour television miniseries based upon the book, also to be called ''American Lion'', starring
Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...
as Andrew Jackson. It would have been Penn's first major television role. The project was developed by
Lionsgate Television Lionsgate Television is the television division of Lionsgate, which is a Canadian–American entertainment company. History The company was established in July 1997 as Lions Gate Television, Inc. with the establishment of Lionsgate Films. It ...
, with the script written by
Doug Miro Doug Miro (born January 20, 1972) is an American screenwriter based in Los Angeles. Miro studied screenwriting at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and graduated with a degree in English from Stanford University. Life and career Miro's screenpla ...
and Carlo Bernard, who later co-created of the television series '' Narcos''. Miro and Bernard were to serve as executive producers along with Penn and Matt Jacobson, Head of Market Development for
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...
, which would have been his first producing credit. Jacobson optioned the rights for ''American Lion'' after reading the book in 2012: "I saw a lot of analogies with what is happening now and felt the story needed to be told." The Jackson biography by historian Robert V. Remini was to provide additional source material. It was the first series order at HBO for Lionsgate Television. Director
Phillip Noyce Phillip Noyce (born 29 April 1950) is an Australian filmmaker. Since 1977, he has directed over 19 feature films in various genres, including historical drama ('' Newsfront'', '' Rabbit-Proof Fence'', '' The Quiet American''); thrillers (''Dead ...
became attached to the project, and it was scheduled to go into production the summer of 2016, with a planned release in 2017. But Noyce left the project in May 2016, reportedly over disagreements with how to depict some of the more controversial aspects of Jackson's presidency, though ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' quoted a source who claimed Noyce was let go for not providing a production end date. The project stalled after that and few details have emerged since.


References


Sources cited

*{{cite book, last=Meacham, first=Jon, author-link=Jon Meacham, title=American Lion, date=November 11, 2008, publisher=
Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...
, isbn=978-1-4000-6325-3


External links


Online copy free to borrow
2008 non-fiction books American biographies Books about Andrew Jackson Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography-winning works History books about the United States Biographies about politicians