Hollywood Needs To Tell Louisa Adams's Story

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Meet your new favorite first lady.

John Quincy Adams wasn’t looking for love in 1795. The 28-year-old diplomat, son of the vice-president, and future president himself was still recovering from a recent heartbreak when he arrived in London. He wrote to his mother, Abigail, that he would not consider even marrying until he was 45.

Then he met Louisa Johnson.

Donald Trump Is All The Worst Parts of Thomas Jefferson

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 And none of the best.

I’ve been thinking about how to write about the new president, and how to relate him to the founding fathers. I keep coming back to Thomas Jefferson.

George Washington's Attack on Christmas Pies

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Losing a battle never tasted so good.  

Most people know the story of George Washington crossing the icy Delaware River on Christmas night to launch a surprise attack at the Battle of Trenton. It was the first and best American Christmas story (until Die Hard) and an instant legend, changing the narrative of the war.

What most people don’t know is that ten years later, George Washington led another, less successful, Christmas attack.

John Quincy Adams and Jack the Ripper

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Unraveling A Giant Mystery  

Long before I embarked on this presidential biography project, I was a big fan of horror. Just how big a fan became evident my first week of college.

10 Things James Monroe Loved

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Don't underestimate "The Last of the Cocked Hats."

James Monroe might be the most experienced and least appreciated president ever. I'll do my best to honor the overlooked memory of the fifth president with this list of ten things he loved.

How to Teach Your Baby About Slavery

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One picture book gets it so wrong – 

and one gets it righter than it should.

One of my earliest memories is of me throwing a massive tantrum in front of the television. My parents were watching the local news, and they refused to believe me when I insisted it was a re-run.

Died on the Fourth of July... Almost

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Three presidents died on the 4th of July.

One broke the curse.

It's well known that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson famously died on the same day – July 4th, 1826. Their simultaneous passing on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is viewed as a wonderfully patriotic cosmic coincidence, or at least a victory of the human will to hang on. (Or possibly some good old-fashioned euthanasia.)