My answer on Quora.
There are several examples in the US alone. John Quincy Adams emerged as a leading figure in the abolitionist movement and a champion of the sciences. He also served in Congress. The Amistad Slave Rebellion, 175 Years Ago
William Howard Taft became the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court from 1921–1930. Teddy Roosevelt took to exploring the Brazilian wilderness.
Roosevelt in the Amazon. Source: Barbarian Book Club: The River of Doubt Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard
Many had other talents that they indulged in . 8 U.S. Presidents You Didn’t Know Were Musicians | 98.7WFMT
However the one individual who stands out since World War Two despite the fact that his presidency ended on such a sour note was Richard Milhous Nixon.
Nixon resigned from office on the 9th of April 1974. His biographer Jonathan Aitken described him at the time as a ‘soul in torment.’ However his mood improved after he was pardoned by Gerald Ford on September 8th of the same year.
He returned to public life in December 1974 and set about becoming an adviser to Presidents on both sides of the political aisle. Richard Nixon advised Bill Clinton on post-Cold War world
Nixon’s specialty was Cold War diplomacy, a topic that as the father of detente he was somewhat of an ‘expert’ on. His work with China in particular was well thought of. 4 Reasons Why Nixon Remains the Most Important President Since 1945
Nixon wrote extensively in the field of foreign affairs. His book Real War (1980) looked at the danger of Soviet Expansion in the 1970s. In Leaders (1982 he analyzed many of the political figures that he met during his term in office. Other works dealt with the memoirs of his Presidency. In 1992, he wrote Seize the Moment (1992), where he scrutinized the role of the US in a one superpower world. He was extremely prolific. The last of his books Beyond Peace (1994) was completed two weeks before his death and published posthumously.
All told Nixon has 12 books to his credit (although three of these written before his presidency).
Source: Real Peace
Real Peace Description on Apple - One of Richard Nixon’s most incisive works on American foreign policy, Real Peace argues that lasting peace can only be achieved through “hard-headed détente”—a pragmatic mixture of military preparedness, effective arms control, and improved East-West economic ties.
I myself am very conflicted about Nixon. His presidency will forever be tainted by Watergate and many of the decisions that regrettably expanded the conflict in South East Asia. Economically his price controls were a disaster, as was his strict embrace of Keynesian economics (contrast this to Kennedy). However his actions with respect to both the Soviet Union and China certainly eased tensions along these fronts and the fact that he acted as a valuable resource for other holders of the Oval Office is admirable.
One could even argue that his post-presidency was indeed his finest hours.
Further reading
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