I am too young (and was for too long too disconnected from politics) to know much about Jimmy Carter except for a vague understanding of the common wisdom that he had been a poor president and of the progressive reclaiming of him in recent years. I’ve had my eye on this biography for a while: I nearly bought it at full price from my local bookstore, but when a used copy was on sale at the library for $3, I knew I couldn’t pass it up.

This is a thorough biography that is impatient with Carter’s “common wisdom” reputation but also stops far short of a hagiography. I don’t have a good sense of the author’s views and don’t know the context well enough to critique this particular approach. I learned a lot, I’m glad I read it, and I think the biggest thing I took from it was to appreciate people without putting them on pedestals.

• His Very Best
• Jonathan Alter
• Jimmy Carter
• independent bookstores
• libraries