A friend sent me the Daily Stoic Podcast interview with Ron Chernow. So naturally, I listened. After all, Chernow is one of my favorite biographers!
Before the interview, Holiday talks about how reading Chernow's book Titan and others helped shape many ideas in his books. It got me thinking about some of my favorite books. I decided to time travel to the beginning of my reading journey and give a quick reflection on each of the first BIG biographies I read.
Enjoy!
It was 2020-2021, and COVID-19 restrictions still hung in the air. I filled the time once given to my social life by reading the founding story through biographies of our founders. The first was about the second President, John Adams.
John Adams
The journey began with John Adams by David McCullough. It really opened my eyes to what the Founding Fathers went through to get us here. I loved Adams' story because he’s kind of just a regular guy who realizes his country needs him—he serves his family and his community. Adam’s story taught me about justice, honor, and service.
He doesn't seem like someone who’d be easy to get along with, especially if you disagreed with him. He could be petty and sensitive. But I loved the story of his family—his devotion to Abigail, his dedication to his children. But even there, his pettiness showed, especially with his son Charles at the end.
I love the story of John Adams because it’s the story of a regular person, a broken man who—despite everything—did something good. Maybe even something great.
Thomas Jefferson
Then, I read Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham. With Jefferson, I learned about freedom, liberty, and power—how to craft an argument, make a point, and stand on principle.
Jefferson was this strange blend of privilege and hardship. The children he lost, the loss of his wife—it must’ve been so lonely and difficult to carry that kind of pain while also shouldering so much responsibility for others.
Reading Adams and Jefferson back-to-back made their ending hit even harder. Two men with such different lives and worldviews still found a way to respect, love, and forgive each other. That kind of reconciliation—there’s something powerful in knowing it’s possible.
George Washington
Next up was Washington by Ron Chernow. I loved Washington’s story for many of the same reasons I loved Adams'. These were regular people with a heart to serve and willing to sacrifice. But Washington stood out because of how he handled himself—his stoic nature.
He didn’t really show his insecurities, not like the others. He was surrounded by men who were deeply well-read, and he wasn’t. Yet it didn’t seem to bother him—he valued their knowledge. He leaned into his strengths—his resilience, steadiness, and judgement.
His ability to manage different personalities and get the best out of them—man, that’s something great. We haven’t really seen anything like it since his administration.
James Madison
Next came Noah Feldman's The Three Lives of James Madison: Genius, Partisan, President. From Madison, I learned political theory and power. I learned how the government could be an agency for balance, to check power, so freedom could flourish.
I related to Madison. He was small. A little awkward around people. I’ve always been small and feel awkward around people. He felt like the little brother in the group—until Monroe came along, which is kind of how I feel in a group.
What really hooked me, though, was Madison’s writing. The clarity—I had to track down the original documents right away. The Federalist Papers and his letters. The way he explained things just made sense to me. That Madisonian theory, the way he framed government, really made an impact.
When I finished his biography, I knew I had to keep reading. I loved Madison’s thirst for knowledge and ambition to understand, explain, debate, organize, and lead. He did things that not everyone could do.
With the exception of maybe Hamilton.
Alexander Hamilton
Naturally, Hamilton was next.
Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Now, Hamilton—he taught me about raw ambition. What it’s like to drive with a hole in your heart. Out of all the founders, Hamilton showed the least balance and the least discipline in his personal life. Still, professionally, he was a remarkably disciplined administrator and had a tremendous impact.
Hamilton was a force. Like Madison, he read and wrote voraciously. Reading about Hamilton taught me about economics, law, and the positive and negative effects of political power. His story of going from immigrant to becoming a founding father inspires what it means to be an American. Like Adams, he was a broken man who—despite everything—did something good—maybe even something great.
These books shaped my foundation for government and expanded my knowledge of life, and what I learned in them led me down many paths of exploration. To the Romans and French, and the next generation of American leaders, Quincy Adams, Jackson, and Polk.
Do you have any books that have made a big impact on you? Please share their stories in the comments!
I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane with me.
Peace and Love,
Jeff Mayhugh