Clinton
Inside the Clinton Presidential Center. Photo courtesy of Joni Hewitt.

Bill Clinton and Adult Literacy

Former United States President Bill Clinton is included in this site, not only because he is the author of best-selling books, but because he wrote successful legislation that paved the way for adults to learn to read beginning when he was the governor of Arkansas. He championed the cause of adult literacy early in his career and continued to support it in many ways during his eight years as a United States president, including the founding of the National Institute for Literacy. Because of these efforts, adults gained the skills to get better jobs, improved healthcare, and to be able to read books to their children.

Bill Clinton and Family as Authors

Soon after leaving the White House, Clinton published a best-selling autobiography (My Life) and a novel with author James Patterson entitled The President is Missing, which sold over a million copies in its first summer season. The following is a list of other books by Clinton: Back to Work, Between Hope and History, and Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World.

His family has authored several books as well. Former First Lady Hillary Clinton’s books include It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us (also a picture book version is available with illustrations by Marla Frazee), Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’ Letters to the First Pets, An Invitation to the White House: At Home with HistoryLiving HistoryHard ChoicesStronger Together and What Happened.

Daughter Chelsea Clinton is the author of the She Persisted series for young readers, It’s Your World, Start Now, and Governing Global Health.

Clinton
Inside the Clinton Presidential Center, photo courtesy of Joni Hewitt
Clinton
Literacy Champions Bill Clinton and John Corcoran. Photo courtesy of the John Corcoran Foundation.

Bill Clinton Birthplace and the Clinton Presidential Center

Visit the Bill Clinton Birthplace (Hope) and the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock to see more about his life and adult literacy work. Read about the continued work of literacy champion John Corcoran at johncorcoranfoundation.org.

According to clintonfoundation.org: “The Clinton Center is home to the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, the Little Rock offices of the Clinton Foundation, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, and is a managing partner of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program.”

We thank reader Joni Hewitt for providing authoradventures.org with her photos of the Clinton Presidential Center.

The Bill Clinton Birthplace and the Clinton Presidential Center are the first and second stops on our Arkansas Author Adventures Trail.

Patricia Smart