What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedAnd There Was Light
Jon Meacham · Book
If you loved And There Was Light, start with Lincoln (Steven Spielberg, 2012) — a film on the same thread. Below: 1 film, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to And There Was Light across media.
If And There Was Light captured your imagination, you will appreciate these explorations of the moral weight behind American leadership.
Films on the same thread
Lincoln
Steven Spielberg · Film · 2012
Explores: American Civil War, Presidential Leadership, Abolitionism.
Just as And There Was Light provides an intimate look at Lincoln's character, this film examines his moral courage and political maneuvering during the most tumultuous months of his presidency.
Series on the same thread
John Adams
Kirk Ellis · Series · 2008
Explores: American Revolution, Founding Fathers, Early American History.
Much like And There Was Light, this series offers a deeply researched biographical portrait of a Founding Father, grounding the complexities of political history in the human experience.
The Civil War
Series · 1990
Explores: Brother vs. Brother, Reconstruction Era, Abraham Lincoln.
If you valued the historical context in And There Was Light, this documentary provides a comprehensive look at the Civil War era that defined Lincoln's legacy and leadership.
Death by Lightning
Mike Makowsky · Series · 2025
Explores: Presidential History, Assassination, Political Intrigue.
Following the focus on presidential history in And There Was Light, this series details the rise and fall of James Garfield, highlighting the fragility of American political life.
Grant
Series · 2020
Explores: American Civil War, Reconstruction Era, Military Leadership.
This documentary mirrors the analytical depth found in And There Was Light, using a biographical lens to explore the heavy burden of leadership during the Civil War era.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Preamble
Sharon McMahon · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Critical thinking, Media literacy, Civic engagement.
Much like the narrative non-fiction approach of And There Was Light, this podcast seeks to bring clarity to complex political issues, fostering the same sense of civic understanding.
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe · Podcast · 2026
Explores: untold historical anecdotes, curiosity-driven learning, American cultural history.
If you enjoyed the biographical storytelling of And There Was Light, this podcast offers similarly enlightening historical anecdotes that reveal the human stories behind major American cultural milestones.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is And There Was Light a biography?
Yes, And There Was Light is a biography of Abraham Lincoln written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham. The book provides a detailed historical portrait of Lincoln's life and his experiences.
Who wrote And There Was Light?
And There Was Light was written by Jon Meacham. Meacham is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer who focused his research on the life of Abraham Lincoln for this specific title.
What is the subject of And There Was Light?
The subject of And There Was Light is the life of Abraham Lincoln. Jon Meacham explores the historical significance and personal journey of the 16th president of the United States throughout the book.
Did the author of And There Was Light win an award?
Yes, Jon Meacham, the author of And There Was Light, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer. He utilized his expertise in historical writing to portray the life of Abraham Lincoln in this work.