

Jenny Drapkin
Joined: Nov 21, 2012


The Most Egregious Election in American History

Rutherford B. Hayes: The National Hero of ... Paraguay?

No Politics Allowed: Health Care
The Dos and Don'ts of I-Do'ing: Proposing the Presidential Way
If Valentine's Day has inspired you to propose, many of you will probably look to your fathers for guidance and inspiration. Far fewer will look to the Founding Fathers for that same guidance and inspiration. This is unfortunate, which is why we're listin
6 of LBJ's Favorite Things (on his 100th Birthday)
Lyndon Johnson was born 100 years ago today. Here's a piece from mental_floss magazine on some of LBJ's favorite things, including his Amphicar—the only amphibious passenger automobile ever mass-produced for
Thomas Jefferson: The Sensitive Writer Type
Let's get a few things straight about writing the Declaration of Independence. First of all, it wasn't the founding fathers' top priority. By early 1776, America had pretty much broken up with King George, but since it was a long-distance relationship, th
Andrew Johnson: Of Mice and Men
The award for Most Humble Origins goes to Andrew Johnson, hands down. He was born to a sharecropper in North Carolina, but his father died when he was just 3 years old. Never having the money to attend school, Andrew became an indentured servant when he w
Calvin Coolidge: The Quiet Riot
Ah, the Roaring Twenties—an era defined by flappers, jazz, gangsters, speakeasies, and "¦ the most boring president ever! Calvin Coolidge, a buttoned-up Puritan from New England, wasn't much for hobnobbing, even when it could have helped him politi
LBJ: The President Who Marked His Territory
Here, we're choosing to remember Lyndon B. Johnson not by the many political wheels he set into motion, but by the stuff he kept by his side—and close to his heart.
Richard Nixon: The Shy Guy
Who knew Tricky Dick was such a wallflower? Believe it or not (and we realize trust might be an issue here), Richard Nixon was a shy child—the kind who played the piano and only followed sports so that people would like him more. Sadly, the awkwardn
The Nine Lives of Andrew Jackson
It's a wonder Andrew Jackson was able to defeat the British during the War of 1812. And found the modern Democratic Party. And become President of the United States. After all, Jackson should've died many, many times before he had the opportunity to do an
Theodore Roosevelt: Mojo in the Dojo
Jenny Drapkin is the Senior Editor of mental_floss magazine. For the next week, we'll be serializing "All The Presidents' Secrets," her fantastic feature from the September-October 2007 issue. Make her feel