Photo by Sebastian Bergmann

As we prepare for Jimmy Carter’s talk at the Royal Festival Hall on October 5, let’s take a look back at what other ex-presidents did after they left the White House. Who stayed politically active, and who opted for a quieter life of country homes and chinos?

• George Washington: Went into farming after his 1797 retirement. Produced spirits in his own distillery, and served reluctantly in the army, delegating most of his responsibilities.

• John Quincy Adams: Legally represented slaves in an uprising case, and won.

• Theodore Roosevelt: Went on safari and killed over 11,000 animals for the Museum of Natural History. He re-ran for Republican nomination but lost after an assassination attempt by a saloonkeeper in Millwaukee left him too weak to campaign. He later travelled to the Brazilian jungle on a scientific trip, but left early due to declining health.

• Woodrow Wilson: He retired to a Washington DC townhouse, taking daily drives, attending the theatre, but making an appearance at only two state occasions.

• Herbert Hoover: Enjoyed attending his California men’s clubs, driving into the country and going fishing (writing a book on that topic: Fishing For Fun—And To Wash Your Soul). During WW2, he offered his services to the current Government after Pearl Harbour, who did not call him up. However, he played an instrumental role in supporting the provision of relief to Nazi-occupied Europe.

• Richard Nixon: Returned to his California home, but retained staff and was often found sitting at his desk by 7am with nothing to do. Then wrote some successful memoirs in 1978, and did some famous TV interviews with David Frost, which gained viewing figures of up to 50 million. He made many diplomatic trips, including one to China in 1976 on the invitation of Chairman Mao, before founding the Nixon Centre, a policy think tank.

• Ronald Reagan: Attended Bel Air Presbyterian church in California, where he lived. In 1994 he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, making his final speech and public appearance in that year.

• George Bush Senior: Retired to Houston and built a presidential library (one of ten in existence). On visiting Kuwait to commemorate victory of the Iraq war in 1993, he was targeted by a car bomb plot in an assassination attempt. It was later established that the plot was directed by Iraqi intelligence services. Bill Clinton then fired cruise missiles at the Iraqi Intelligence Services Headquarters in retaliation.

• Bill Clinton: Spoke for reducing carbon emissions (but was voted down on alternative energy proposal) and against military action in Iraq. His Clinton Global Initiative addresses world problems, and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Clinton to head a relief effort in the aftermath of the 2005 Asian tsunami. He is also noted for his involvement in wife Hilary’s own Democratic Presidential campaign, and then for having thrown his weight behind Barack Obama following her defeat. He visited Haiti this year following the devastation, to see the inauguration of a permanent refugee village.

• George W. Bush: Purchased a home in Dallas and conducted the opening coin toss at the American football team the Dallas Cowboy’s first game in their new stadium. He watched every home playoff game for the Texas Rangers baseball team’s 2010 season. He has written a book about his choices made during presidency called Decision Points (2010) but largely attempts to keep a low public profile.

But nothing compares to President Jimmy Carter, who, although returning to his peanut farm in Georgia, did more than make peanuts in the years following his presidency. His Carter Centre was set up to advance human rights, promote democracy, alleviate conflict and monitor elections.

Carter outlined a treaty with North Korea for nuclear reduction, played a key role in the Nairobi Agreement (1999) between Uganda and Sudan and worked alongside Kofi Annan on the human rights situation in Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe.

He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 and speaks out regularly on matters in the Middle East. A vocal opponent of the death penalty, Carter also urged for the closing of Guantanamo Bay Prison in 2005. He has written 23 books, and enjoys painting, fly-fishing, woodwork, cycling, tennis and skiing.

Carter will be speaking with Jon Snow at the Royal Festival Hall on 5 October. For more information and tickets click here.