What are the best American historical biographies of all time?

Written by the multi-awarded historian Ron Chernow, this Alexander Hamilton biography is a comprehensive account of Hamilton's life and accomplishments that helped shape newborn America into what it is today. 

Joseph J. Ellis' account of George Washington's life focuses on three aspects: Washington's service in the military, his generalship during the American revolution, and his time as the first president of the United States. 

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life is Walter Isaacson's in-depth biography detailing the life of the legendary American hero, from his scientific advancements, his media works, businesses, and his role as a founding father.

The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York is a biography written by Robert A. Caro on the life of Robert Moses, a public official from New York. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography in 1975.

Years after his retirement from the public eye, and even with his political career over, Thomas Jefferson was still a very popular man, and his house was a very important tourist destination even when he was still alive. This book, tries to explain his character, and what allowed him to become one of the most popular presidents of all time. 

Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America's Wild Frontier is a historical non-fiction book written by Stephen E. Ambrose. This was originally published in 2006.

Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt is a biography written by David McCullough. This book is a National Book Award-winning biography.

Washington: A Life is a biography written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Rob Chernow. It chronicles the life of the founding father and the first man to be the president of the United States of America, George Washington.

In this book, popular historian Doris Kearns Goodwin explains what made Abraham Lincoln such a political genius: the 16th president of the United States, had the ability to put himself in the place of other men, something that allowed him to lead the United States through the Civil War. 

The Patriarch is a book by David Nasaw that tells the story of Joseph Kennedy. It is the summary of his journals which are only allowed to be read by Nasaw. The book is about Joseph Kennedy's story and how he describes the former president.

Clara Barton: Founder of the American Red Cross is written by Augusta Stevenson and illustrated by Frank Giacoia. This features the childhood life of Clara Barton, organizer of the Red Cross in 1881.

Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon is a biography written by Craig Nelson that narrates the story behind the men of Apollo 11 and their mission on the moon. It became a New York Times bestseller.

Eleanor Roosevelt: Fighter for Social Justice is written by Ann Weil and illustrated by Gray Morrow. This tells the childhood of Eleanor Roosevelt who later on became the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, a US president.

George Washington: Our First Leader is a biography written by Augusta Stevenson and illustrated by E. Joseph Dreany. It features the narrative on the childhood of George Washingon and his preparation to lead the country.

Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight is a biography written by Jay Barbree about the first astronaut who stepped on the moon. It has a foreword by John Glenn, and this version was published in 2014. Barbree interviewed Armstrong for the book.

Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer is written by Augusta Stevenson and illustrated by Ray Quigley. This tells the childhood biography of Ben Franklin as a young printer who grew up to become a founder of the United States.

Benjamin Franklin is a book by Carl Van Doren that tells the story of how the inventor Benjamin Franklin helped not just his fellow countrymen but almost all of the people using his inventions and his thirst for knowledge. 

Amelia Earhart: Young Aviator is a biography written by Beatrice Gormley and illustrated by Meryl Henderson about the childhood life of Earhart up to her mysterious disappearance. This is suitable for kids.

Five Days in November is a book by Clint Hill that tells the story of JFK assassination. After 50 years of his death, investigator Clint Hill released this book will more than 150 photographs that commemorate JFK's death.  

Rocketman: Astronaut Pete Conrad's Incredible Ride to the Moon and Beyond is a biography written by Nancy Conrad and Howard A. Klausner about Pete Conrad. It has an introduction from astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood is a non-fiction historical biography written by Jimmy Carter. This political book is first published in 2000. 

Lincoln: A Photobiography from Houghton Mifflin social studies, and is authored by Russell Freedman. This is a biography of Abrahan Lincoln that received the Newbery Medal award.

Renowned historical novelist Jeff Shaara's Gods and Generals is the first novel from his Civil War Trilogy. The novel served as a prequel to his father Michael Shaara's 1974 novel The Killer Angels. The book was published in the year 2000 by Birlinn. 

Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field is a book by Nancy Forbes and Basil Mahon that tells the story of how helpful is the discovery of Electromagnetic Field is to our lives. The book reminds us that it should not be taken for granted.

First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong is a biography written by James R. Hansen detailing the life of the first man who stepped on the moon. It is the basis of the upcoming film of the same name.

Only the Paranoid Survive is a book by Andrew Groove that tells how Groove made adjustments so that his company will not fall under the struggles of the business world. He also gave tips on how other leaders can do the same.

The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West is a biography written by Sid Fleischman on the life of Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain.

Thomas Jefferson: Third President of the United States by Helen Albee Monsell and illustrated by Kenneth Wagner focuses on the childhood of Tom Jefferson. The book is published in 1989 by publisher Aladdin.