On August 27, 1908, Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) was born in a small stone farmhouse in Stonewall, Texas. He went on to become a Texas State Senator and then later, President of the United States. After his death in 1973, August 27 was designated as a Texas state holiday in his honor.
This year, August 27 falls on a Saturday, so you can spend the entire day celebrating LBJ’s life and accomplishments. The LBJ Presidential Library in Austin offers free admission on the day. But even if you do not live nearby, you can still celebrate by reading one of the books about Lyndon Johnson in our Talking Book Program collection.
Books about LBJ in our collection:
For the most in-depth look at LBJ’s life, try the four- book series YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON, written by Robert Caro:
| PATH TO POWER: THE YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON VOLUME 1 DB 18676, | |
| MEANS OF ASCENT: THE YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON, VOLUME 2 DB 30837 | |
| MASTER OF THE SENATE: THE YEARS OF LYNDON DB 54174 | |
| PASSAGE OF POWER: THE YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON DB 74635 |
If you are looking for a slightly less detailed biography you might like to read the two-volume series by Robert Dallek:
| LONE STAR RISING: LYNDON JOHNSON AND HIS TIMES, 1908-1960 DB 34378 | |
| FLAWED GIANT: LYNDON JOHNSON AND HIS TIMES, 1961-1973 DB 47275 |
Perhaps you would like to read a memoir written by someone who knew LBJ personally. Doris Kearns Goodwin was a White House Fellow in 1967, and her book is based on interviews conducted during the last five years of President Johnson’s life.
| LYNDON JOHNSON AND THE AMERICAN DREAM DB 09793 |
Or you could look at his time in the White House through the eyes of his wife, Lady Bird Johnson.
| WHITE HOUSE DIARY DBC 18116 |
Or if you are looking for a way for younger readers to learn about LBJ, here’s one you could try:
| LYNDON B. JOHNSON: THIRTY-SIXTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Grades 5-8 DB 30136, BR 08027 |