How to do this project, apparently
Step one: research and compile a comprehensive list of the best biographies of each former American President.
Step two: consider that because of Grover Cleveland being the non-consecutive President, there are forty-three subjects on this list. Then remember that Gen. Zachary Taylor was elected in part because he’s so boring. And that William Henry Harrison was a non-starter. And think there’s not much to say about Herbert Hoover.
(Step two-b: prepare yourself to be very, very wrong about Herbert Hoover. He’s amazing.)
Step three: add ten more biographies of Woulda/Coulda/Shouldas to the list–Henry Clay and Robert LaFolette and William Jennings Bryan, that ilk. Revel in the fact that fifty-three is also a prime number. Try to ignore the fact that this list is about fifty-two white men and Barack Obama.
Step four: create a randomization process to ensure a non-consecutive order by averaging out historians’ rankings of the Presidents, and then going by tens, with Woulda/Coulda/Shouldas in between. But, I moved around the lower tiers, probably for the sake of variety–I’ve since lost my copious notes on the process. Here’s the reading order and titles:
Hi there! I will have to pull books from shelves and type info in, and while I will get this done, it’s not high on my list at this exact moment. Thank you!
