New Releases by Robert Dallek

The definitive short biography of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, based on Robert Dallek''s award-winning biographies. Robert Dallek is among the country''s most prolific and authoritative presidential biographers. Lyndon Johnson is arguably the president to whom he has devoted his most intensive archival research. This short biography, an adaptation of his two-volume magisterial biography, traces this presidential life from the Texas Hill Country to the House and Senate to the White House. It narrates his passage of a range of crucial legislation, from Medicare and environmental protection to the most significant advances in civil rights for black Americans ever achieved, as well as his continuation of the war in Vietnam. This brief work conveys Johnson as a man of towering intensity and anguished insecurity, of grandiose ambition and grave self-doubt, a man who was brilliant, crude, intimidating, compassionate, overbearing, driven: "A tornado in pants." This volume is being timed to coordinate with the 50th anniversary of Johnson''s death.

The award-winning, New York Times bestselling historian considers the vast array of triumphs and failures of America’s modern presidents that paved a path to Donald Trump, offering an understanding of our current moment and hope for a way back to true leadership. The struggle to preserve the Republic has never been easy or without perils. The rise of conflicting political parties, which the founders opposed, and President John Adams’ Alien and Sedition Acts repressing First Amendment rights made Franklin’s observation at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention—“a republic, if you can keep it”—seem prescient. In the twentieth century, America endured numerous struggles: economic depression, World War II, McCarthyism, the Vietnam War, Watergate, the Iran-contra scandal, the war in Iraq—all of which gave rise to demagogues, as did the growth and reach of mass media. But this wasn’t the Founding Fathers’ vision for our leadership. The resistance to putting a demagogue in the White House survived the anti-Communist agitation of the 1950s and the Vietnam War in the 1960s. But the latter opened the way for Richard Nixon’s election in 1968 and Watergate, which again tested our democratic institutions and the rule of law. Nixon’s resignation in August 1974 moved Vice President Gerald Ford, his successor, to declare, “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.” But was it? Donald Trump’s 2016 election has presented a new challenge. How did past politics and presidential administrations pave the way for this current assault on American democracy? Our nation’s history provides reassurance that we will restore our better angels to government. Yet it must be considered that earlier administrations and public outlook facilitated the rise of such an un-presidential character as Trump in the first place. In How Did We Get Here?, Robert Dallek considers a century of modern administrations, from Teddy Roosevelt to today, shining a light on the personalities behind the politics and the voters who elected each. His cautionary tale reminds us that the only constant in history is change, but whether for good or ill the choice is Americans’ to make.

From personal correspondence to presidential speeches and documents, Monument: Four Presidents Who Sculpted America explores the written words of the men forever remembered on the face of Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. Originally a project to boost tourism, the sculpture received congressional approval in 1925, and construction was completed in 1941, shortly after the death of sculptor Gutzon Borglum. Canterbury Classics has gathered historic documents penned by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt into this beautiful leather-bound volume, and added introductions by learned scholars to outline the contribution each president made to the birth, growth, development, and preservation of the United States. Also included is the story of how Mount Rushmore came to be, and a foreword written by historian Robert Dallek. With more than two million visitors annually, Mount Rushmore lives up to its status as a “Shrine of Democracy,” and this rich piece of U.S. history is preserved in this timeless collectible edition.

El 22 de noviembre de 1963, en la ciudad de Dallas, murió asesinado John Fitzgerald Kennedy, presidente de Estados Unidos, y nació el mito. Para entender el calado de JFK en la cultura popular, no solo estadounidense, hay que retrotraerse a Irlanda, lugar de origen de la poderosa dinastía Kennedy. Hay que recorrer, como hace Robert Dallek, la apasionante historia de las primeras campañas políticas del futuro presidente, desvelar cómo seleccionó JFK a Lyndon Johnson para la vicepresidencia y analizar cómo se enfrentó a la invasión de Bahía de Cochinos, a las amenazas contra activistas de los derechos civiles en el sur, al conflicto en Laos, a la crisis de los misiles cubanos o a la escalada armamentística de la URSS. Esta es la biografía definitiva de John Fitzgerald Kennedy, un héroe para los estadounidenses, pero sobre todo un hombre corriente, con sus miserias y debilidades, hábilmente ocultadas bajo la imagen de una vida pública triunfal. Un hombre que estaba mucho más enfermo de lo que suponía todo el mundo, y que necesitó medicación a lo largo de toda su presidencia. Que fue infiel en numerosas ocasiones a su esposa, Jackie, más veces incluso de lo que la mayoría supone. Que, como se sabía cercano a la muerte, vivió la vida con toda la intensidad que pudo... A menudo sin pensar en las consecuencias.

"While Robert Dallek''s [book takes] a fresh look at the many compelling questions that have attracted all his biographers--How did a man who came from so privileged a background become the greatest presidential champion of the country''s needy? How did someone who never won recognition for his intellect foster revolutionary changes in the country''s economic and social institutions? How did Roosevelt work such a profound change in the country''s foreign relations?--the focus ... is on Roosevelt as a man dedicated to public affairs, a master politician who skillfully and cannily used the presidency to advance a remarkable national agenda"--Provided by publisher.

Fifty years after John F. Kennedy’s assassination, presidential historian Robert Dallek, whom The New York Times calls “Kennedy’s leading biographer,” delivers a riveting new portrait of this president and his inner circle of advisors—their rivalries, personality clashes, and political battles. In Camelot’s Court, Dallek analyzes the brain trust whose contributions to the successes and failures of Kennedy’s administration—including the Bay of Pigs, civil rights, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Vietnam—were indelible. Kennedy purposefully put together a dynamic team of advisors noted for their brilliance and acumen, including Attorney General Robert Kennedy, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, National Security Advisor McGeorge Bundy, and trusted aides Ted Sorensen and Arthur Schlesinger. Yet the very traits these men shared also created sharp divisions. Far from being unified, this was an uneasy band of rivals whose ambitions and clashing beliefs ignited fiery internal debates. Robert Dallek illuminates a president deeply determined to surround himself with the best and the brightest, who often found himself disappointed with their recommendations. The result, Camelot''s Court: Inside the Kennedy White House, is a striking portrait of a leader whose wise resistance to pressure and adherence to principle offers a cautionary tale for our own time.

"Robert Dallek brings to this majestic work a profound understanding of history, a deep engagement in foreign policy, and a lifetime of studying leadership. The story of what went wrong during the postwar period…has never been more intelligently explored." —Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Team of Rivals Robert Dalleck follows his bestselling Nixon and Kissenger: Partners in Power and An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963 with this masterful account of the crucial period that shaped the postwar world. As the Obama Administration struggles to define its strategy for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Dallek''s critical and compelling look at Truman, Churchill, Stalin, and other world leaders in the wake of World War II not only offers important historical perspective but provides timely insight on America''s course into the future.

The plainspoken man from Missouri who never expected to be president yet rose to become one of the greatest leaders of the twentieth century In April 1945, after the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the presidency fell to a former haberdasher and clubhouse politician from Independence, Missouri. Many believed he would be overmatched by the job, but Harry S. Truman would surprise them all. Few chief executives have had so lasting an impact. Truman ushered America into the nuclear age, established the alliances and principles that would define the cold war and the national security state, started the nation on the road to civil rights, and won the most dramatic election of the twentieth century—his 1948 "whistlestop campaign" against Thomas E. Dewey. Robert Dallek, the bestselling biographer of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, shows how this unassuming yet supremely confident man rose to the occasion. Truman clashed with Southerners over civil rights, with organized labor over the right to strike, and with General Douglas MacArthur over the conduct of the Korean War. He personified Thomas Jefferson''s observation that the presidency is a "splendid misery," but it was during his tenure that the United States truly came of age.

Let Every Nation Know is the first book of its kind-a historical biography in Kennedy''s own words. Combining a remarkable audio CD of Kennedy''s most famous speeches, debates and press conferences with the insights of two of America''s preeminent historians, the result is a unique look at the world-changing words and presidency of John F. Kennedy. Robert Dallek, author of the #1 bestselling biography An Unfinished Life, and Terry Golway, author of Washington''s General, bring to life the soaring oratory, marvelous wit and the intense drama of Kennedy''s words and the events they evoke. "I had forgotten just how powerful these speeches were but the CD brings them to life once more and Dallek and Golway have done a masterful job of putting them into context."-Bob Schieffer, CBS News

With the publication of his magisterial biography of John F. Kennedy, An Unfinished Life, Robert Dallek cemented his reputation as one of the greatest historians of our time. Now, in this epic joint biography, he offers a provocative, groundbreaking portrait of a pair of outsize leaders whose unlikely partnership dominated the world stage and changed the course of history. More than thirty years after working side-by-side in the White House, Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger remain two of the most compelling, contradictory, and powerful men in America in the second half of the twentieth century. While their personalities could hardly have seemed more different, they were drawn together by the same magnetic force. Both were largely self-made men, brimming with ambition, driven by their own inner demons, and often ruthless in pursuit of their goals. At the height of their power, the collaboration and rivalry between them led to a sweeping series of policies that would leave a defining mark on the Nixon presidency. Tapping into a wealth of recently declassified archives, Robert Dallek uncovers fascinating details about Nixon and Kissinger''s tumultuous personal relationship and the extent to which they struggled to outdo each other in the reach for achievements in foreign affairs. Dallek also brilliantly analyzes their dealings with power brokers at home and abroad—including the nightmare of Vietnam, the unprecedented opening to China, détente with the Soviet Union, the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East, the disastrous overthrow of Allende in Chile, and growing tensions between India and Pakistan—while recognizing how both men were continually plotting to distract the American public''s attention from the growing scandal of Watergate. With unprecedented detail, Dallek reveals Nixon''s erratic behavior during Watergate and the extent to which Kissinger was complicit in trying to help Nixon use national security to prevent his impeachment or resignation. Illuminating, authoritative, revelatory, and utterly engrossing, Nixon and Kissinger provides a startling new picture of the immense power and sway these two men held in changing world history.

Mass-market edition of the first authoritative single-volume biography of John F. Kennedy to be written in nearly four decades. Drawing upon first-hand sources and never-before-opened archives, prize-winning historian Robert Dallek reveals more than we ever knew about Jack Kennedy, forever changing the way we think about his life, his presidency and his legacy. Dallek also discloses that, while labouring to present an image of robust good health, Kennedy was secretly in and out of hospitals throughout his life, soill that he was administered last rites on several occasions. He never shies away from Kennedy''s weaknesses, but also brilliantly explores his strengths. The result is a full portrait of a bold, brave and truly human John F. Kennedy.

Robert Dallek''s brilliant two-volume biography of Lyndon Johnson has received an avalanche of praise. Michael Beschloss, in The Los Angeles Times, said that it "succeeds brilliantly." The New York Times called it "rock solid" and The Washington Post hailed it as "invaluable." And Sidney Blumenthal in The Boston Globe wrote that it was "dense with astonishing incidents." Now Dallek has condensed his two-volume masterpiece into what is surely the finest one-volume biography of Johnson available. Based on years of research in over 450 manuscript collections and oral histories, as well as numerous personal interviews, this biography follows Johnson, the "human dynamo," from the Texas hill country to the White House. We see LBJ, in the House and the Senate, whirl his way through sixteen- and eighteen-hour days, talking, urging, demanding, reaching for influence and power, in an uncommonly successful congressional career. Then, in the White House, we see Johnson as the visionary leader who worked his will on Congress like no president before or since, enacting a range of crucial legislation, from Medicare and environmental protection to the most significant advances in civil rights for black Americans ever achieved. And we see the depth of Johnson''s private anguish as he became increasingly ensnared in Vietnam. In these pages Johnson emerges as a man of towering intensity and anguished insecurity, of grandiose ambition and grave self-doubt, a man who was brilliant, crude, intimidating, compassionate, overbearing, driven: "A tornado in pants." Gracefully written and delicately balanced, this

Drawing on previously unavailable material and never-before-opened archives, An Unfinished Life is packed with revelations large and small -- about JFK''s health, his love affairs, RFK''s appointment as Attorney General, what Joseph Kennedy did to help his son win the White House, and the path JFK would have taken in the Vietnam entanglement had he survived. Robert Dallek succeeds as no other biographer has done in striking a critical balance -- never shying away from JFK''s weaknesses, brilliantly exploring his strengths -- as he offers up a vivid portrait of a bold, brave, complex, heroic, human Kennedy.

Looks at the strengths and weaknesses of each president as well as at the times in which they served. Examines the office of the president, how it has developed, and how it has shaped the America and the modern world.

Few American politicians have enjoyed greater popularity than Ronald Reagan. Robert Dallek presents a portrait of the man and his politics - from his childhood years through the California governorship to the first years of the presidency.

Flawed Giant--the monumental concluding volume to Robert Dallek''s biography of Lyndon Baines Johnson--provides the most through, engrossing account ever published of Johnson''s years in the national spotlight. Drawing on hours of newly released White House tapes and dozens of interviews with people close to the President, Dallek reveals LBJ as a visionary leader who worked his will on Congress like no chief executive before or since, and also displays the depth of his private anguish as he became increasingly ensnared in Vietnam. Writing in a clear, thoughtful, and evenhanded style, Dallek reveals both the greatness and the tangled complexities of one of the most extravagant characters ever to ascend to the White House.

Presidential biography has long been one of the most successful topics of serious nonfiction. Never before Hail to the Chief, however, has there been a penetrating analysis of the entire history of the presidency, the personalities who have occupied the Oval Office, and the strategies that led to their success or failure. This is an enlightening and thought-provoking presidential biography and orginal history analysis.

Discusses the domestic pressure which influenced Roosevelt''s foreign policy and American foreign relations.

Professor Dallek considers that fifty years after his death, Franklin Roosevelt''s leadership as a world leader is a matter of dispute. Nearly everyone agrees that he was an architect of victory in World War II, but they continue to argue over whether he conspired to let the Japanese attack the US at Pearl Harbor as a `back door'' to the European war and whether he acted wisely in incarcerating 110,000 Japanese Americans in 1942, appeasing Stalin at Yalta, and `abandoning'' the Jews to the Holocaust. Professor Dallek disputes these allegations but believes it is more useful to discuss the elements of Franklin Roosevelt''s effective wartime leadership. He argues that Roosevelt was a successful foreign policy leader who relied on vision, pragmatisim, consensus, charisma, and public trust to achieve his ends. Professor Dallek believes that Roosevelt remains a fine model for how to lead the United States in its dealings with the rest of the world.

Volume one of a two-volume biography follows Johnson''s life from his childhood on the banks of the Pedernales to his election as vice president under Kennedy.

With American foreign policy playing an increasingly dominant role in world events of the past century, the international diplomatic community and even Americans themselves have staged heated debates centering on the charge that our government often misreads international crises. Responding to the controversy, Robert Dallek''s groundbreaking book argues that the pressures generated by unresolved political and social domestic problems have shaped American foreign policy. In an illuminating examination of each significant period--from the expansionism of the Spanish-American War and the American entrance into World War I, to American-Soviet relations during World War II, the Cold War period that followed, and American involvement in Korea and Vietnam--Dallek reveals why we have acted as we have, often in the face of logic and with costly consequences. Providing a wealth of new insights, he presents American foreign policies in the twentieth century as symbolic extensions of domestic hopes and fears. Reaching beyond traditional explanations of why and how these policies reflect U.S. concerns at home more than realities abroad, this important and provocative analysis challenges thinking Americans to confront the whole fascinating history of American foreign affairs in the twentieth century.

Acclaimed author and historian Robert Dallek''s insightful biography of William Dodd, the U.S. Ambassador to Germany during the ascension of Hitler and the Nazi party, exposes the dark underbelly of 1930s Germany and the terrible burden of those who realized the horror that was to come.