Dead Presidents: An American Adventure into the Strange Deaths and Surprising Afterlives of Our Nation's Leaders

Carlson, a New Hampshire public radio host, provides listeners with an unusual take on the story of the American presidents. In this humorous audiobook, he examines the lives after they left office of 40 of the 44 men who held the post, the circumstances of their deaths, and the gravesites, memorials, and libraries constructed to honor them. Some of the stories are tragic, such as the eight leaders who died in office through assassination or illness. Others, such as Millard Fillmore, William Howard Taft, and Herbert Hoover, show that a difficult presidency is only one chapter of an otherwise productive life. Carlson also provides a brief account of the lives of the descendants of the presidents. He closes the work with the story of Mt. Rushmore. Reader Tom Zingarelli presents the story in a light and funny manner.