“For democracies to thrive, the majority must respect the rights of minorities to dissent, loudly.”
With so many complex issues and heavy ramifications at play, it’s only natural for people to be fascinated with the lives of politicians. The world in which they live and operate can seem so alien opposed to the ‘normal’ lives faced by readers, biographies are our way of getting a peak behind the curtain into what motivates and drives those in the biggest offices in the world. With that in mind, check out What We Reading for our 11 best politician biographies that every budding politics student should check out!
The World As It Is – Ben Rhodes
For nearly a decade, Ben Rhodes saw every part of the groundbreaking Obama administration in the White House. From speechwriter, and national security advisor to one of the closest aides to the most powerful man on the planet, The World as It Is is Rhodes’ recounting of being at the side of the first Black President in US history.
Detailing the ins and outs of day-to-day Presidential life, Rhodes takes readers through the highs, lows and controversial moments in the administration’s tenure, and explores how a close friendship was formed during those years. One of the best storytellers in his field, this intimate look at this defining point in America’s history is one of the most insightful political autobiographies any student could hope to get their hands on.
Churchill And Orwell – Thomas E. Ricks
Winston Churchill and George Orwell were two of the twentieth century’s most charismatic and inspiring figures. Through their fierce defiance against the rising threat of Fascist Authoritarianism in the 1930s, they etched their legacies into the history books as two of the biggest symbols of freedom across Europe.
And yet, for both men, fate could have easily seen them slip into total obscurity. In one of the greatest politician biographies of the ages, Churchill And Orwell, author Thomas E. Ricks takes readers through the fascinating story of how both these men had brushes with death that would have completely altered the course of history. Paying homage to both these icons of British history, Ricks’ account of Churchill and Orwell’s accomplishments are some of the most powerful in the business.
Frederick Douglass – David W. Blight
Frederick Douglass was the most eloquent and powerful orator of his day and has become one of the most enduring symbols of African-American struggles for equality ever since his heyday. In David W. Blight’s Pulitzer Prize in History-winning biography of the Abolitionist, readers are given insight into some of the most eye-opening new pieces of information on why Douglass is possibly the greatest person never to be President.
From his two marriages and extended family to the dynamic of being a devout patriot but also one of the harshest critics of both his party and country, Blight effortlessly whisks readers back in time and explores the complexities and motivations behind Frederick Douglass.
A Certain Idea of France – Julian Jackson
From his famous rallying cry across the BBC radiowaves in the wake of his country being overrun by its greatest enemy, all the way to the establishment of the French Fifth Republic, Charles de Gaulle is France’s most significant statesman.
In A Certain Idea of France: The Life of Charles de Gaulle, Julian Jackson examines how this French general’s lifelong vision of France was forged during its dark days in WW2 and persisted throughout the challenges of decolonisation and the unifying of a continent through the European Union. The complex motivations and visions that surround de Gaulle make him a fascinating figure, and have helped cement France’s status as a major power even today. Jackson utilises the de Gaulle archives as well as a plethora of unpublished memoirs and notes to bring together one of the best politician biographies of the time.
Saladin – John Man
Contemporary politician biographies of the Crusades era of history tend to be romantically told from the viewpoint of the Christian forces and their attempts to reclaim the Holy Land back into European control. Thankfully, John Mar has produced a stunning political biography to balance the scales out with his Saladin: The Life, the Legend and the Islamic Empire.
Saladin is one of the most revered Muslim leaders in history, uniting the Arab world against the threat of invasion and successfully helping to preserve the Islamic faith as it exists today. And, with this part of the world still struggling in their quests for hope and unity, Man brings Saladin to life in his vivid descriptions of Saladin’s rise to power, his deft methods in uniting the Islamic world, and how his fierce defence and stunning generosity helped preserve his faith from Egypt to the Persian Gulf.
Inside Trump’s White House – Doug Wead
The road leading up to and the four years that made up Donald Trump’s presidency feels like an era of history unto itself. The most polarising politician on the planet, Trump oversaw one of the most radical shifts in America’s social, political and economic standing, and Doug Wead is on hand to deliver one of the most compelling accounts of what life was like on the inside in Inside Trump’s White House.
Published in 2019, the book features never-before-seen content and extensive interviews with those closest to the 45th President of the United States and gives one of the most insightful looks into how one of the world’s most dividing figures really operates when the cameras aren’t rolling.
Check out the best JFK Books!
Black Spartacus – Sudhir Hazareesingh
Between 1791 and 1801 the small Caribbean island of Haiti took on the might of one of Europe’s oldest and greatest powers: France. Through a bloody revolution, the former slave colony secured a stunning victory and stepped out into a new era as the first independent Black nation-state.
Sudhir Hazareesingh gives readers some of the most vivid accounts from one of the most criminally underrepresented heroes: Toussaint Louverture. This charismatic revolutionary leader brought together Caribbean mysticism with Enlightenment ideals to become a beacon of hope and an enduring legend for those on the island to this day. A Wolfson History Prize winner, Black Spartacus is the mesmeric tale of history’s first contemporary Black hero.
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The Passage Of Power – Robert A. Caro
Robert A. Caro is one of the world’s most celebrated historians, and in The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, he gives readers an educational walk through one of the US’ most tumultuous eras.
From being ushered into secret meetings with the CIA following the shooting of President John F Kennedy, to how America’s 36th leader grappled with impossible dilemmas ranging from Martin Luther King to Vietnam, this is one of the finest politician biographies any student will ever need to get a good grasp on the 1960s.
Coffee With Hitler – Charles Spicer
If ever there were a group across human history one could consider ‘open-minded’ the upper echelons of the Nazi Party probably wouldn’t make the shortlist. But, it was that very ideal a group of plucky British intelligence agents hoped to cement when they met, dined and bargained with several leaders of the National Socialist party in the interwar years.
Detailing everything from British appeasement policies and attitudes towards Fascism, the Rudolf Hess affair and all the way to the eventual involvement of the US in WW2, Coffee with Hitler is a compelling look into one of history’s greatest footnotes.
Cleopatra’s Daughter – Jane Draycott
The tumultuous tale of Cleopatra VII, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony is one of the most enduringly romanticised storylines in history, with all three meeting their grizzly ends as Ancient Egypt crumbled and the Roman Republic gradually gave way to a time of Emperors.
One tale that isn’t so well covered is that of Cleopatra’s daughter: Cleopatra Selene. One of three children born to Cleopatra and Mark Antony, Jane Draycott recounts the remarkable story of how this female leader not only became the sole survivor in the wake of the Battle of Actium but managed to scale through the ranks of a male-controlled society to emerge as one of Africa’s most powerful rulers.
Rasputin – Frances Welch
Even after extensive works and portrayals, Grigory Rasputin remains one of the greatest enduring mysteries surrounding Russian history. Outlandish, offensive and yet totally revered by those in the Imperial court, his ability to relieve the symptoms of Alexei Nikolaevich’s haemophilia saw him soar up the ranks of Russian society, and earn him a place by the Romanov’s side during their last days in power.
Using unpublished material, Frances Welch gives readers one of the most superb politician biographies and captures the walking scandal that was Rasputin. His antics would prove to be one of the biggest catalysts behind the downfall of Imperial Russia, and his radical mannerisms would see his life ultimately cut short in a grizzly manner.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
