swap_horiz No Ordinary Time Alternatives

1

The Power Broker

Robert Caro's biography of Robert Moses examines how an unelected official acquired lasting influence over New York City...

New York Political Urban Planning Caro

9.50 Brilliant

2

Master of the Senate

In the third volume of his Lyndon B. Johnson biography, Robert Caro examines Johnson's rise within the United States Sen...

American Political Caro Lbj

9.40 Excellent

3

The Passage of Power

Robert Caro's fourth Lyndon B. Johnson volume follows the transition from an ambitious Senate leader to a frustrated vic...

American Political Caro Lbj

9.30 Excellent

4

The Path to Power

Robert Caro’s *The Path of Least Resistance* meticulously chronicles Lyndon B. Johnson’s formative years, from his chall...

American Political Caro Lbj

9.20 Excellent

5

Means of Ascent

The second volume of Robert Caro's biography of Lyndon B. Johnson follows a difficult stretch of his career and the cont...

American Political Caro Lbj

9.05 Excellent

6

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt

Edmund Morris’s acclaimed biography meticulously chronicles Theodore Roosevelt's formative years. The book explores the...

American 19TH Century Political Morris

8.90 Great

7

American Prometheus

American Prometheus is a comprehensive biography chronicling the extraordinary life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “fathe...

Science Political Bird Sherwin Atomic Age

8.90 Great

8

Truman

Truman is a detailed biographical account of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States. McCullough’s Puli...

American 20TH Century Political Mccullough

8.80 Great

9

Homage to Catalonia

“Homage to Catalonia” details George Orwell’s time as a volunteer with the POUM militia in Spain's Republican zone durin...

Political War Memoir Spanish Civil War

8.75 Great

10

The Pianist

Wadyslaw Szpilman’s *The Pianist* is a powerful firsthand account of his experiences navigating the horrors of World War...

Music Wwii Holocaust Memoir

8.70 Great

11

Dreams from My Father

Barack Obama’s “Dreams from My Father” is a powerful memoir detailing his formative years. The book chronicles his compl...

African American Identity Political Memoir

8.60 Great

12

American Lion: Andrew Jackson

Jon Meacham’s *American Lion* provides an in-depth portrait of Andrew Jackson, a pivotal figure in 19th-century American...

American 19TH Century Political Meacham

8.60 Great

13

Peter the Great: His Life and World

Robert K. Massie’s *Peter the Great: His Life and World* offers a comprehensive biography of the Russian Tsar. The book...

Russian Political 17TH Century Massie

8.50 Great

14

My Early Life

My Early Life is Winston Churchill’s 1930 memoir recounting his experiences as a young officer and journalist. The book...

British Political Victorian Memoir

8.50 Great

15

The Hiding Place

Corrie ten Boom’s *The Hiding Place* recounts her family’s courageous efforts to shelter Jewish refugees from persecutio...

Wwii Holocaust Memoir Christian

8.50 Great

16

Team of Rivals

Team of Rivals is a comprehensive biography examining Abraham Lincoln’s leadership during the American Civil War. Doris...

American Political Lincoln Goodwin

8.30 Great

17

The Bully Pulpit

Doris Kearns Goodwin’s *The Bully Pulpit* examines the complex relationship between Theodore Roosevelt and William Howar...

American Political Goodwin Progressive Era

8.10 Great

18

In the Garden of Beasts

In the Garden of Beasts is a 2011 work of narrative history by Erik Larson about William E. Dodd, the United States amba...

History Wwii Political Nazi Germany

7.90 Good

19

Churchill: A Life

"Churchill: A Life" is a 1991 biography by British historian Martin Gilbert. The book condenses Gilbert's massive eight-...

Wwii British Political Gilbert

7.80 Good

20

Franklin and Winston

*Franklin and Winston* is a 2003 historical biography by Jon Meacham exploring the relationship between U.S. President F...

Wwii Political Alliance Meacham

7.80 Good