President Jimmy Carter doesn't seem to believe in retirement. Despite the fact that he celebrated his 91st birthday earlier this month and is currently fighting cancer, he's spending his time doing impactful work with The Carter Center, addressing major causes of human suffering with The Elders and teaching Sunday School at his church in Plains, Georgia. He's America's only novelist-president. Oh, and poet-president too! Other roles include husband, family man, Navy veteran, peace advocate, volunteer and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Since I'm a librarian, I'm well-acquainted with Jimmy Carter the author. Let's look at some of his most successful nonfiction works.
Even if you know very little about our 39th president, you probably know that he was a farmer. But did you know that his memoir about his early life and his beloved Georgia community, An Hour Before Daylight, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize?
This one will appeal to those more interested in Pennsylvania Avenue than peanut farmers. From 1977 to 1981, Carter kept a personal diary that he wrote in every day. Published in 2010, White House Diary is edited and annotated with updated notes by Carter.
Carter's moral and political outlooks are grounded in his deep Christianity. He's written and spoken extensively about his religion. Living Faith is inspirational and full of personal stories about everyone from world leaders to family friends.
Recently Carter has turned his attention to the struggle of women around the world and the institutions and forces that keep the world from achieving gender equality. A Call to Action is a passionate plea that includes testimonies from women of all major religions.
We'll end with a pop quiz: Carter was the second Georgian to become a Nobel Peace Laureate. Who was the first?
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