Power and the Presidency

This little gem of a book offers seven essays by noted presidential biographers, historians, and journalists on the way 20th-century presidents have dealt with power in the Oval Office. The lineup is impressive: David McCullough discusses how the more notable presidents have shaped the presidency; Doris Kearns Goodwin relates Franklin Roosevelt's ability to lead the nation through the Great Depression and World War II; Michael Beschloss contrasts the governing styles of Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy; and Robert Caro covers the intricacies of Lyndon Johnson's political life. Each writer is perfectly suited to the task, filling this brief book with lively anecdotes and information, backed by prodigious research and experience. For example, former Washington Post editor Benjamin Bradlee, who covered Nixon's unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1960 and oversaw his paper's Watergate coverage as editor a decade later, uses many first-person experiences and conversations to bring Richard Nixon to life. Edmund Morris, author of Dutch, the controversial biography of Ronald Reagan, and David Maraniss, author of a biography of Bill Clinton, both contribute essays on their subjects as only gifted writers with unlimited access could produce. Anyone who is interested in politics, the presidency, or U.S. history will find much to enjoy here. --Linda Killian