Presidents in Fiction: Exploring the Lives of Leaders Through Novels
Many memoirs and biographies about American presidents have become bestsellers, but presidents also have achieved a crossover appeal in an unexpected genre: fiction. These four fiction books have been either written by presidents or are about presidents’ lives, and they provide fresh, creative glimpses on some of America’s most written-about historical figures.
The President’s Wife (2023) by Tracey Enerson Wood
The title of Tracey Enerson Wood’s novel persuades us to look inside the life of one of America’s most underappreciated first ladies. Wood’s book examines Edith Wilson’s personal and private life, from President Woodrow Wilson’s courtship of her to their married life inside the White House. The political aisle is a big challenge for the two remarried widows as their time in the White House takes place during the debate on whether America should enter World War I. The end of World War I later brings its own set of challenges for Edith: her husband isn’t finding peace with his declining health, and the Senate might not allow the United States to join the League of Nations. The novel explores the drama when Edith makes the decision to put her marriage and her country first by taking on an unofficial role in the presidency.
Roosevelt’s Beast (2014) by Louis Bayard
Roosevelt’s Beast is another unique addition to the collection of Presidential Monster Mashups, which famously includes Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. Bayard’s work of historical fiction takes place during the Roosevelt-Rondon expedition, an exploration of the Rio da Dúvida (River of Doubt) in Brazil. The expedition changes course when two of its members — former President Theodore Roosevelt and his son Major Kermit — are forced to kill an unseen beast. What will happen to the bull moose and his son in their battle against the beast? Read Roosevelt’s Beast to experience a universal story of family and belonging.
Hope Never Dies (2018) by Andrew Shafer
Note: Shafer’s novel takes place after the 2016 presidential election.
The relationship between a president and their vice president is sacred: they have to rely on each other to make it through the challenges and seclusion of life inside the White House. This closeness between the two highest holders of political office in the United States makes these characters perfectly suited to place inside another similar environment requiring teamwork: the buddy comedy novel. Shafer’s Hope Never Dies will appeal to people who enjoy cozy mysteries such as the Hannah Swensen Mysteries book series by Joanne Fluke (which is now a Hallmark film series called Murder, She Baked) or BBC’s Shakespeare & Hathaway television show.
Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shafer is a detective novel starring Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama. Shafer’s novel starts with a depressed Joe Biden lamenting the fact that President Obama hasn’t reached out since they served together in the White House. A sudden unexpected appearance by Obama brings a double dose of unexpected shock to Joe. Barack has come to inform Joe that his friend Finn Donnelly died after being hit by a train.
The twists and turns in Hope Never Dies begin after Barack informs Joe that his friend Finn might have been stalking him. America’s heroin epidemic then takes center stage in the story after Finn is found with heroin at the time of his death. A crisis of this magnitude is what brings together both the president and his vice president: Barack and Joe must find a way to work together to find out what happened to Finn. Will this presidential reunion have a hopeful ending? Read Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shafer to find out.
The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War (2003) by Jimmy Carter
The Hornet’s Nest by former President Jimmy Carter is a historic novel. And it’s not because it concentrates on an integral part of American history. The Hornet’s Nest is a historic novel because it’s the first-ever novel written by a President. President Carter’s groundbreaking 2003 work also isn’t even set in the present or future. It’s a Revolutionary War novel, which takes place from 1763 to 1785.
The main protagonist is Ethan Pratt. Ethan’s journey is a classic hero’s journey but with the added historical relevance. Ethan finds his older brother Henry to have a taxing lifestyle. Henry is the one who sticks his neck out by speaking out against British rule in the colonies, while Ethan prefers to stay on the sidelines of the conflict. But a brewing conflict this big finds a way to drag Ethan to the front of it.
Despite the work’s fictional nature, real life inspires President Carter’s story. Carter’s own ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War, and he wanted to write about the South’s role in the conflict which he also hails from. Ethan Pratt, the fictional protagonist of The Hornet’s Nest, also follows a similar journey close to home for President Carter. Ethan Pratt’s family resides in the same places as President Carter’s ancestors. Jimmy Carter’s Southern childhood is another instance of real-life which finds itself tucked inside the pages of The Hornet’s Nest, which will give you a President’s insight into America’s most defining conflict.
Tags: presidentialfiction
