PULITZER PRIZE WINNER - NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The definitive biography of Andrew Jackson, a larger-than-life president who defied norms, divided a nation, and changed Washington forever"Marvelously readable . . . brings alive a profoundly flawed but dazzlingly charismatic American original."--USA Today Beloved and hated, venerated and reviled, Andrew Jackson was an orphan who fought his way to the pinnacle of power, bending the nation to his will in the cause of democracy. Jackson's election in 1828 ushered in a new and lasting era in which the people, not distant elites, were the guiding force in American politics. He gave voice to the hopes and the fears of a restless, changing nation facing challenging times at home and threats abroad. To tell the saga of Jackson's presidency, acclaimed author Jon Meacham draws on newly discovered family letters and papers, detailing the human drama--the family, the women, and the inner circle of advisers--that shaped Jackson's private world through years of storm and victory. Jackson was a battle-hardened warrior, the founder of the Democratic Party, and the architect of the presidency as we know it. His story is one of violence, sex, courage, and tragedy. With his powerful persona, his evident bravery, and his mystical connection to the people, Jackson moved the White House from the periphery of government to the center of national action, articulating a vision of change that challenged entrenched interests to heed the popular will--or face his formidable wrath. Jackson was the most contradictory of men. He was, in short, a lot like his country: alternately kind and vicious, brilliant and blind; and a man who fought a lifelong war to keep the republic safe--no matter what it took.