Jimmy Carter – 39th President of the United States

These are Jimmy Carter’s good things.

Good things to read.

Carter said Let Us Now Praise Famous Men was a favorite because “It showed me that the experiences of our neighbors were not unique, that there were people all over the country who suffered…We still have people like that living in our country.” According to the Carter Center other favorites include War and Peace by Tolstoy as well as work by Dylan Thomas and Miller Williams.

Good things to watch.

IMDB.com quotes Carter as saying “John Wayne was bigger than life. In an age of few heroes, he was the genuine article. But he was more than a hero; he was a symbol of many of the qualities that made America great – the ruggedness, the tough independence, the sense of personal conviction and courage – on and off the screen – that reflected the best of our national character.”  EW reported that Carter’s favorite movie is Gone with the Wind.  Carter screened 480 movies during his time in the White House but finding a complete list was challenging.  His daily diary recorded that he watched Advise and Consent and The Undefeated.

Good things to do.

Woodworking.  President Carter continues to work, making a stool for an upcoming auction.  Fly fishing with Oyster rods were his preference.  Carter also liked to bowl, swim, and ride bikes with his family.  After a day full of activity how did the Carter family wind down? By watching The Bad News Bears.  This was practically their exact day March 26, 1977.

Richard Nixon – United States President

These are Richard Nixon’s good things.

Good things to read.

The Washington Post featured the choice reading material from a smattering of presidents.  They reported that Nixon read Tolstoy as a youth and bought Churchill’s Triumph and Tragedy “after a summit with the Soviets.”  They also reported that he enjoyed Blake’s biography of British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli, noting he was struck by the analogy that Gladstone’s cabinet was filled with “exhausted volcanoes.”

Good things to watch.

Patton. Nixon reportedly screened it over and over at the White House.  According to IMDB.com, Nixon was given an early screening of 1776 and objected to a musical number which was subsequently removed.  It was restored on the Director’s Cut DVD.  It’s not something to watch in the sense, but Nixon has appeared on Time magazine more than any other person.  No word if Nixon liked television but it’s safe to say television did not like him.

Good things to use.

Nixon liked to golf – of which there are some wonderful photos – and bowl – one photo –  as well as play the piano. It’s also suspected he enjoyed owning dogs, even announcing such publicly.