Why did George Washington personally lead the militia that put down the Whiskey Rebellion? What drove Harry Truman to fire Douglas MacArthur at the height of the Korean War? What compelled Ronald Reagan to call the Soviet Union an "evil empire"? Why did John F. Kennedy challenge America to reach for the moon?
Author and business executive Nick Ragone examines more than a dozen major decisions of the presidency---Truman dropping the bomb; Nixon going to China; Jefferson purchasing the Louisiana Territory---and the stories behind them. Told in a crisp, narrative writing style, Ragone brings the presidency and its big decisions to life with his unique storytelling and pacing, and highlights the lessons to be learned.
Some of the decisions are well known; others are not. But they're all told in a way that will keep you turning the pages to learn more. Each chapter stands as a study in leadership and decision making. By the end of the book, you'll be an expert in the men and the decisions that shaped the country, and the lessons that can be learned from their leadership and often their courage.
With a concluding chapter that assesses President Obama's first year in office and reviews healthcare reform, this lively, illuminating book will appeal to history buffs, devotees of politics, students, and anyone interested in decision making at the highest and most influential level.
- Genre: Political Science
- Subgenre: Political Process / Leadership
- Publisher: Prometheus Books
- Pages: 332
- Language: English
- Format: hardcover
- Release Date: February 1, 2011
- Date Published: February 1, 2011
- Author: Nick Ragone