The Presidents - The Transformation of the American Presidency from Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Bush

The US president is the most powerful figure on earth, wielding an unprecedented global influence. This brilliant, candid account of the men who have commanded the Oval Office during the twentieth century reveals their personalities, achievements, crises, secrets and legacies. From'saviour' Franklin D. Roosevelt to JFK and the myth of Camelot, from 'Tricky Dick' Nixon to neo-imperialists Reagan and George W Bush, Stephen Graubard takes us to the heart of the hidden - and increasingly monarchical - nexus of power at the White House. Examining how war, espionage, deception, money and the media have transformed the office in modern times, he asks: has the presidency now become too powerful?