Presidents and Their Books: What They Read and What They Wrote presents selections from the collection of Grolier Club member Susan Jaffe Tane, featuring books read, written, and gifted by the 45 men who have held the office of President of the United States of America, from George Washington through Joseph R. Biden. Co-curated by Tane and her teenage grandchildren Natalie Flaxman and Spencer Flaxman—the youngest-ever curators at the Grolier Club—the exhibition spans U.S. history with books from the personal libraries of presidents, as well as books signed and inscribed by them. Highlights include a copy of John Adams’ political philosophy papers inscribed to his cousin; Thomas Jefferson’s annotated copy of Homer’s Iliad; a presentation copy of Abraham Lincoln’s Political Debates; and a copy of Gentle Julia, presented to a nine-year-old George H. W. Bush by author Booth Tarkington. The exhibition will be accompanied by a 96-page catalog co-authored by Ms. Tane and her grandchildren, published by the Grolier Club.

Visit the exhibition in person or online, or view case images via Flickr.

*Photo from Presidents and Their Books: James Rennell, Detail of Memoir of a Map of Hindoostan; or the Mogul Empire. London: Printed by W. Bulmer and Co. for the Author, 1793. George Washington’s copy, with presentation inscription to him by Rennell on the front free endpaper, and with Washington’s ownership signature on the title page. From the collection of Susan Jaffe Tane; photograph by Robert Lorenzson.