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Cover of Woodrow Wilson: A Biography by John Milton Cooper, Jr.Woodrow Wilson: A Biography
Modern · Nonfiction

Woodrow Wilson: A Biography

by John Milton Cooper, Jr.
2009 · 702 pages · Nonfiction
Reserve shelf
≈ 18 hours to read · about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

John Milton Cooper Jr. tells the life of Woodrow Wilson, the scholar and Princeton president who became governor of New Jersey and president of the United States, led America through the First World War, fought for the League of Nations, and was disabled by a stroke, and examines his racism and his idealism.

Why it's worth reading

It was a Pulitzer finalist. It's a balanced, authoritative biography.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's long.

By the numbers

53.9Must-Read Score
  • Readers13 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

On our reserve shelf: it doesn't have enough readers yet for us to rank it alongside the Must-Read 50 pool. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Pulitzer Prize (Biography) finalist (2010)

How we rank

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Quick answers

Is Woodrow Wilson: A Biography worth reading?

It was a Pulitzer finalist. Its Must-Read Score is 53.9 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Woodrow Wilson: A Biography about?

John Milton Cooper Jr. tells the life of Woodrow Wilson, the scholar and Princeton president who became governor of New Jersey and president of the United States, led America through the First World War, fought for the League of Nations, and was disabled by a stroke, and examines his racism and his idealism.

How long does it take to read Woodrow Wilson: A Biography?

About 18 hours (702 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Woodrow Wilson: A Biography?

If you liked it, try The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris, American Midnight: Democracy's Forgotten Crisis, 1917-1921 by Adam Hochschild or The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman.