Crisis and Command: A History of Executive Power from George Washington to the Present

New and updated in paperback—the remarkable history of American presidential executive power from one of today’s most famous legal scholars.

“…an eloquent, fact-laden history of audacious power grabs by American presidents going back to George Washington.”


— New York Times Magazine

However bitter, complex, and urgent today’s controversies over executive power may be, John Yoo reminds us that they are nothing new. In Crisis and Command, Yoo explores a factor too little consulted in current debates: the past. Through shrewd and lucid analysis, he shows how the bold decisions made by Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, and FDR changed more than just history—they transformed the role of the American president.

The paperback edition of Crisis and Command features a new preface and epilogue by the author, giving the most up-to-the-minute insight into the ongoing national debate over presidential power. Written in clear, accessible prose, Crisis and Command maintains a manageable scope by focusing on the strongest and most relevant examples throughout history, from George Washington to Barack Obama.