Why Political Biographies Matter
What makes a good biography and one historian’s recommendations
Political biographies often get a bad rap, and perhaps rightfully so. There are a lot of bad bios out there. But when done right, they are such an important part of history and political culture.
For my monthly Governing column, I wrote about why political biographies matter, what makes a good bio, and offered my recommendations. Here’s a quick intro to the post:
We have to know our history to understand our current moment. That sounds trite, but it’s true, and there is still so much to learn. The recent anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre revealed that many well-educated, historically literate Americans didn’t know about this horrific event. Biographies are an accessible way to learn our history and offer a compelling story. If people don’t enjoy what they are reading, they aren’t going to keep reading. So, if biographies work for them, that’s an excellent opportunity to share more history.
A critical part of knowing our history is developing a better understanding of our political leaders. We must accept that all our leaders are flawed, sometimes deeply so. Treating them as demigods is actually counterproductive. If we revere them as semi-human, we obscure their struggles. Instead, they fought, scratched and struggled to accomplish extraordinary things. That story is much more inspiring, relatable and helpful. If we look for demigods among us, we will be disappointed. But we can find flawed humans that are capable of extraordinary things, and learn from the experiences of those that came before.
So what makes a good bio? I outlined five key characteristics. Here are the first two:
The book should not shy away from either the painful or positive elements of a person’s life. You can’t tell George Washington’s life story without including his victory at Yorktown, nor can you ignore his decades of ownership of enslaved individuals.
A good biography should be written because the author believes the subject’s life story is interesting to tell or that person influenced an event in ways previously misunderstood. A biography should not be primarily motivated by a desire to denigrate or rehabilitate a subject’s reputation. That sort of love or hatred can lead to murkier water because an author risks blinding themselves to key elements or sources. For example, Robert Elder recently published a biography of John C. Calhoun, a notoriously tricky figure. Elder neither sought to defend nor destroy Calhoun, but place him in the broader context of American history.
I also offered five recommendations for good reads. Here are the first two:
Abigail Adams: A Life by Woody Holton. Abigail Adams was one feisty lady. Holton demonstrates that she always had an opinion and wasn’t afraid to share it. She was a loyal and dedicated friend and sister, but a bit of a nightmare as a mother-in-law. Holton is honest about this cruelty. He also shares a new side of Abigail — the financially savvy, entrepreneurial side. The Adams family success was largely due to her wise investments and careful planning. Plus, as first ladies go, few had more influence.
Lincoln and Emancipation by Edna Greene Medford. This book is an excellent example of biographies that focus on one aspect of a person’s life to tell a powerful story. Medford is a leading expert on Lincoln and emancipation and writes with beautiful fluidity. I enjoy this biography because it presents a much more human version of Lincoln, but also a triumphant story of positive change.
You can read the full story here: