As we mourn the death of former president Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100, we commemorate his rich literary legacy. Although Carter is most celebrated for his years of philanthropic and humanitarian work, he also left behind an extensive and invaluable body of written work as well as a great mark on the literary world.
Unlike most politicians, Carter didn’t use a ghostwriter. Not only did he insist on writing his own speeches during his presidency, but he also wrote every single one of his 32 published books.
Carter didn’t just write about politics. He covered topics such as his upbringing in Plains, GA, his faith, and the ups and downs of aging. His published works ranged from surprisingly honest and vulnerable memoirs to historical fiction and poetry. Carter even published a coffee table book on woodworking, “The Craftsmanship of Jimmy Carter,” a testament to his willingness to take creative risks. Hand-signed editions of his books can be found at Atlanta Vintage Books.
A lifelong writer of poetry, Carter started to consider writing a collection of poems in the 1990s. Wanting to perfect his craft, he studied under the accomplished Southern poets Miller Williams and James Whitehead, who both wrote poems honoring Carter as he returned home to Plains after his term in the White House.
In his poem, Whitehead deems Carter “a steward for the earth” who “cared for human dignity.” The product of their work together came in “Always a Reckoning and Other Poems,” a collection of folksy-styled poetry in which Carter shares his private memories about his childhood, his family, and political life, with illustrations by his granddaughter. Aside from the collection, Carter’s interest in poetry remained steadfast throughout his political career, from appointing several poet laureates to Georgia as governor, asking James Dickey to compose a poem to read for his inaugural ceremonies, and organizing major poet gatherings at the White House that included poets such as Robert Hayden, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Louise Glück.
Two of Carter’s most significant works are “The Hornets Nest,” the first novel to ever be published by a United States president (2003), and “An Hour Before Daylight,” a memoir about his childhood (2001). “The Hornets Nest,” is a sweeping novel about America’s South and the Revolutionary War that led to Carter’s induction into the Georgia Writer’s Hall of Fame in 2006. “An Hour Before Daylight” grapples with the racial dynamics of the rural South that Carter witnessed while growing up on a peanut farm in Plains. His memoir was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for biography in 2002.
Beyond Carter’s prolific literary career, he was also a committed member of the literary community, a voracious reader, and a fervent supporter of books and Atlanta literary life. Douglas Brinkley, author of “The Unfinished Presidency: Jimmy Carter’s Journey to the Novel Peace Prize,” wrote that Carter had an “omnipresent” recollection of the books that mattered to him, from the Bible to Toni Morrison to William Faulkner, and was “encyclopedic” on all aspects of Georgia history and literature. When forced to decide on his favorite Book, Carter chose James Agee’s “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men” (1941), which documented the lives of the impoverished sharecroppers of the Great Depression. Atlanta’s Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, founded by Carter in 1980, is a physical testament to Carter’s love of literature. The Library hosts many author events throughout the year, supporting Atlanta’s vibrant literary community and authors.
Carter left an unforgettable legacy that extends far beyond his presidency, one for which we as book lovers are forever grateful.
Thank you, Mr. President!