Complicated Cal

You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but you can judge it by the wear and tear.

I don’t really care for clean books. Yes, I absolutely want to pass along an extensive library to my kids some day. But under no circumstance should they expect those books to be in “collector” condition. Save for a few signed copies, my collection is dog-eared and note-filled.

Over the years, I’ve strayed further from scrawling in the margins and more toward dog-earing. Those dog-ears are a signal to me. At the top of a page? That’s where I last left off. But at the bottom of the page? Well, that’s my way of indicating to a future self “pay attention to this whole page for context, something’s about to stick out to you again.”

Underlining and scrawling were limited because they focused on fragments instead of forcing me to open my eyes and see those fragments as part of a larger whole. So my system evolved. But now, you have a really easy way to know if I’ve enjoyed a non-fiction piece of work. Those are where you’ll find the real meaty dog-ears.

Today, I’m sharing a new book with you that’s earned its place on the Bookshelf: Why Coolidge Matters – Leadership Lessons from America’s Most Underrated President, by Charles C. Johnson. And this book earned itself an impressive number of dog-ears.

If you’ve been checking into this blog regularly, you’ve likely picked up on my affinity for our 30th President, Calvin Coolidge. In recent years, his record has been re-examined and public opinion has evolved on Silent Cal. But I’m no Johnny Come Lately on this particular bandwagon. I’ve been Keeping Cool with Coolidge for a long while now – I’m even a contributor to his Presidential foundation (the only presidential museum that doesn’t receive federal funding).

But, so far, I’ve been limited in my recommendations to you all on notable pieces to consume when it comes to, who I’ve come to dub, Complicated Cal.

Johnson’s biography deftly navigates the complexities of Coolidge’s life and times, fearlessly diving into challenging topics that face us still today: race relations, labor policy, fundamental questions surrounding the role of government, and much more. I especially appreciated his work to show the unintended consequences of the 17th amendment on foreign policy.

Instead of judging a book by it’s cover, I’ll help you judge it here by teasing you with a blurb from its dust jacket:

“Imagine a country where strikes by public-sector unions occupy the public square; where foreign policy wanders aimlessly as America disentangles itself from wars abroad and a potential civil war on its southern border; where racial and ethnic groups jostle for political influence; where a war on illicit substances leads to urban violence; where technology is dramatically changing how people everywhere communicate and move about…”

Sound familiar? I’m fairly confident if you pick up this particular read, you’ll find some meaningful ties to our own times. Cal’s legacy, though distorted in the subsequent decades, can shed light on meaningful approaches to thoughtful leadership in any century.

Pair this biography with the incomparable Coolidge by Amity Shlaes and I’m willing to bet you’ll open up space in the Presidential pantheon for a quiet farmer from Vermont. In the meantime, maybe send a condolence card to my daughter for receiving yet another well-worn book.