From Georgia to the White House, biography traces the Carters’s path

But the story most people don’t know is the path he took to becoming leader of the United States.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: The Georgia Years is an in-depth look at the Carter family and the trials they faced while working toward the White House. The book, by E. Stanly Godbold Jr., is part one of a two-part biography that chronicles the Carters’s lives, both successes and hardships.

{mosads}The book argues the Carters’s success was a joint effort between Jimmy and wife Rosalynn. This notion is best described early in the book: “One of their close friends in 1976 said, ‘You can’t really understand Jimmy Carter unless you know Rosalynn.’ ” The two were a successful pair who used what they were given in life to fulfill their dreams and goals.

In the biography, which spans from 1924 to 1974, we are introduced to two hardworking individuals. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were a team from the day they married and, without the understanding relationship the two shared, they might never have reached the level of political stardom they did.

What makes this biography so intriguing is the fact that it is not just a biography about a former president, but the story of the entire Carter family. This book is a must-read for those looking for more information about President Carter and his family, especially his wife.

The two were born not far from each other in Georgia. Once Carter was set up with his younger sisters’ friend, Rosalynn, he knew he had found the girl he would marry. 

And that was what Carter did. They were married young and began traveling immediately, on account of Carter’s service in the Navy. They had their first of four children not long into their marriage, and life was not always the easiest for the two newlyweds. They had to figure out how they would raise their family, and with Carter in the Navy, they had to decide where they would do so.

Despite some tough trials as a young couple, the Carters persevered and worked for their success. Through his time serving as a Georgia state senator, Carter rose in the ranks and began to look toward bigger things for the future. He set his sights on the Georgia governorship.

It would be a giant step for the Carters, and with the success they had built, it was not out of reach. But life in the governor’s mansion did not go without some adjustment, however — particularly with their children having to live public lives. 

The Carters took their time in office seriously and worked tirelessly to change perspectives on some of Georgia’s oldest ways. Jimmy Carter worked hard for civil rights and worked to gain similar mindsets from the rest of his fellow Southerners, even if that meant setting himself up for torment, which happened often.

Along with gaining support from those in the South, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter traveled the globe promoting themselves and working to improve conditions globally. Whether it was practicing their social skills or learning new languages, the Carters worked to spread themselves and their ideals.

This book is a true testament to how hard work can pay off and is an excellent portrayal of the Carters’s path to greatness.