<div>&ldquo;A brilliant full-length portrait of Franklin Roosevelt the politician&rdquo;&mdash;the first in an award-winning two-volume biography (The Christian Science Monitor). Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the longest serving president in United States history, reshaping the country during the crises of the Great Depression and World War II. But before his ascension to the presidency, FDR laid the groundwork for his unprecedented run with decades of canny political maneuvering and steady consolidation of power. In this remarkable New York Times&ndash;bestselling biography, Pulitzer Prize&ndash;winning historian James MacGregor Burns traces FDR&rsquo;s rise and the peculiar blend of strength and cunning that made him such a uniquely transformative figure. Weaving together lively narrative and impressive scholarship, Burns reconstructs his youth and education at Groton and Harvard, his relationships with his cousins Theodore and Eleanor, his immersion in New York State politics, and his rise to national prominence, all the way through his first two terms as president, which saw the historic New Deal take hold and the drumbeats of World War II begin. Originally published in 1956, The Lion and the Fox was among the first studies of Roosevelt&mdash;and it remains a landmark record of his ambitions, talents, and flaws. Hailed by the New York Times as &ldquo;a sensitive, shrewd, and challenging book&rdquo; and by Newsweek as &ldquo;a case study unmatched in American political writings,&rdquo; Burns&rsquo;s stunning achievement is the life story of a fascinating political figure. </div>

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Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882–1940)

<div>The &ldquo;engrossing&rdquo; Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award&ndash;winning history of FDR&rsquo;s final years (Barbara Tuchman). The second entry in James Macgregor Burns&rsquo;s definitive two-volume biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt begins with the president&rsquo;s precedent-breaking third term election in 1940, just as Americans were beginning to face the likelihood of war. Here, Burns examines Roosevelt&rsquo;s skillful wartime leadership as well as his vision for post-war peace. Hailed by William Shirer as &ldquo;the definitive book on Roosevelt in the war years,&rdquo; and by bestselling author Barbara Tuchman as &ldquo;engrossing, informative, endlessly readable,&rdquo; The Soldier of Freedom is a moving profile of a leader gifted with rare political talent in an era of extraordinary challenges, sacrifices, heroism, and hardship. </div>

Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom (1940–1945)

<div>A Pulitzer Prize&ndash;winning historian examines transformational leaders from Moses to Machiavelli to Martin Luther King Jr. in this &ldquo;impressive book&rdquo; (The Washington Post). Historian and political scientist James MacGregor Burns has spent much of his career documenting the use and misuse of power by leaders throughout history. In this groundbreaking study, Burns examines the qualities that make certain leaders&mdash;in America and elsewhere&mdash;succeed as transformative figures. Through insightful anecdotes and historical analysis, Burns scrutinizes the charisma, vision, and persuasive power of individuals able to imbue followers with a common sense of purpose, from the founding fathers to FDR, Gandhi to Napoleon. Since its original publication in 1970, Leadership has set the standard for scholarship in the field.</div>

Overdrive

Leadership

<div>The Pulitzer Prize&ndash;winning author&rsquo;s stunning trilogy of American history, spanning the birth of the Constitution to the final days of the Cold War. In these three volumes, Pulitzer Prize&ndash;&shy; and National Book Award&ndash;winner James MacGregor Burns chronicles with depth and narrative panache the most significant cultural, economic, and political events of American history. In The Vineyard of Liberty, he combines the color and texture of early American life with meticulous scholarship. Focusing on the tensions leading up to the Civil War, Burns brilliantly shows how Americans became divided over the meaning of Liberty. In The Workshop of Democracy, Burns explores more than a half-century of dramatic growth and transformation of the American landscape, through the addition of dozens of new states, the shattering tragedy of the First World War, the explosion of industry, and, in the end, the emergence of the United States as a new global power. And in The Crosswinds of Freedom, Burns offers an articulate and incisive examination of the US during its rise to become the world&rsquo;s sole superpower&mdash;through the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Cold War, and the rapid pace of technological change that gave rise to the &ldquo;American Century.&rdquo;</div>

The American Experiment

<div>A Pulitzer Prize winner looks at the course of American history from the birth of the Constitution to the dawn of the Civil War. The years between 1787 and 1863 witnessed the development of the American Nation&mdash;its society, politics, customs, culture, and, most important, the development of liberty. Burns explores the key events in the republic&rsquo;s early decades, as well as the roles of heroes from Washington to Lincoln and of lesser-known figures. Captivating and insightful, Burns&rsquo;s history combines the color and texture of early American life with meticulous scholarship. Focusing on the tensions leading up to the Civil War, Burns brilliantly shows how Americans became divided over the meaning of Liberty. Vineyard of Liberty is a sweeping and engrossing narrative of America&rsquo;s formative years.</div>

The Vineyard of Liberty, 1787–1863

<div>A Pulitzer Prize winner&rsquo;s &ldquo;immensely readable&rdquo; history of the United States from FDR&rsquo;s election to the final days of the Cold War (Publishers Weekly). The Crosswinds of Freedom is an articulate and incisive examination of the United States during its rise to become the world&rsquo;s sole superpower. Here is a young democracy transformed by the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Cold War, the rapid pace of technological change, and the distinct visions of nine presidents. Spanning fifty-six years and touching on many corners of the nation&rsquo;s complex cultural tapestry, Burns&rsquo;s work is a remarkable look at the forces that gave rise to the &ldquo;American Century.&rdquo; </div>

The Crosswinds of Freedom, 1932–1988

<div>The second volume of Burns&rsquo;s acclaimed history of America, from the end of the Civil War to the beginning of the Great Depression Abraham Lincoln&rsquo;s Gettysburg Address pointed to a new way to preserve an old hope&mdash;that democracy might prove a vibrant and lasting form of government for people of different races, religions, and aspirations. The scars of the Civil War would not soon heal, but with that one short speech, the president held out the possibility that such a nation might not simply survive, but flourish. The Workshop of Democracy explores more than a half-century of dramatic growth and transformation of the American landscape, through the addition of dozens of new states, the shattering tragedy of the First World War, the explosion of industry, and, in the end, the emergence of the United States as an new global power. </div>

The Workshop of Democracy, 1863–1932

<div>The authorized biography of John F. Kennedy offers a fresh and candid look at what shaped the man America came to love and admire, just as he was on the cusp of the presidency Historian, political scientist, and Pulitzer Prize&ndash;winning author James MacGregor Burns wrote Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox, the first volume of his highly acclaimed biography of FDR, in 1956. Two years later, Burns ran for a seat in Congress and became close friends with John F. Kennedy, who was also campaigning throughout the state for reelection to the Senate. After Burns lost his election, he decided to write a biography of JFK. Without any restrictions, Kennedy granted his friend complete access to files, family records, and personal correspondence. The two men spoke at great length in Washington, DC, and at the Kennedy family compound on Cape Cod, and afterwards, Kennedy asked his relatives, friends, and political colleagues to talk openly with Burns as well. The result is a frank, incisive, and compelling portrait of Kennedy from his youth to his service in World War II and his time in Congress. While many political biographies&mdash;especially those of presidential candidates&mdash;intend to depict a certain persona, Burns would not allow anything other than his own perception to influence him. And so, John Kennedy concludes questioning whether JFK would make &ldquo;a commitment not only of mind, but of heart&rdquo; to the great challenges that lay ahead. (Burns would later admit that his subject did bring both bravery and wisdom to his presidency.) First published just as Kennedy was coming into the national spotlight, this biography gives a straightforward and exciting portrayal of one of the twentieth century&rsquo;s most important figures.</div>

John Kennedy

<div>The revealing story of Franklin Roosevelt, Joe Kennedy, and a political alliance that changed history, from a New York Times&ndash;bestselling author. When Franklin Roosevelt ran for president in 1932, he gained the support of Joseph Kennedy, a little-known businessman with Wall Street connections. Instrumental in Roosevelt&rsquo;s victory, their partnership began a longstanding alliance between two of America&rsquo;s most ambitious power brokers. Kennedy worked closely with FDR as the first chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and later as ambassador to Great Britain. But at the outbreak of World War II, sensing a threat to his family and fortune, Kennedy lobbied against American intervention&mdash;putting him in direct conflict with Roosevelt&rsquo;s intentions. Though he retreated from the spotlight to focus on the political careers of his sons, Kennedy&rsquo;s relationship with Roosevelt would eventually come full circle in 1960, when Franklin Roosevelt Jr. campaigned for John F. Kennedy&rsquo;s presidential win. With unprecedented access to Kennedy&rsquo;s private diaries as well as firsthand interviews with Roosevelt&rsquo;s family and White House aides, New York Times&ndash;bestselling author Michael Beschloss&mdash;called &ldquo;the nation&rsquo;s leading presidential historian&rdquo; by Newsweek&mdash;presents an insightful study in contrasts. Roosevelt, the scion of a political dynasty, had a genius for the machinery of government; Kennedy, who built his own fortune, was a political outsider determined to build a dynasty of his own. From the author of The Conquerors and Presidential Courage, this is a &ldquo;fascinating account of the complex, ambiguous relationship of two shrewd, ruthless, power-hungry men&rdquo; (The New York Times Book Review). </div>

Kennedy and Roosevelt

<div>A Pulitzer Prize&ndash;winning historian&rsquo;s dramatic biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, US president during the Depression and WWII. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the longest serving president in US history, reshaping the country during the crises of the Great Depression and World War II. James MacGregor Burns&rsquo;s magisterial two-volume biography tells the complete life story of the fascinating political figure who instituted the New Deal. Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882&ndash;1940): Before his ascension to the presidency, FDR laid the groundwork for his unprecedented run with decades of canny political maneuvering and steady consolidation of power. Hailed by the New York Times as &ldquo;a sensitive, shrewd, and challenging book&rdquo; and by Newsweek as &ldquo;a case study unmatched in American political writings,&rdquo; The Lion and the Fox details Roosevelt&rsquo;s youth and education, his rise to national prominence, all the way through his first two terms as president. Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom (1940&ndash;1945): The Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award&ndash;winning history of FDR&rsquo;s final years examines the president&rsquo;s skillful wartime leadership as well as his vision for postwar peace. Acclaimed by William Shirer as &ldquo;the definitive book on Roosevelt in the war years,&rdquo; and by bestselling author Barbara Tuchman as &ldquo;engrossing, informative, endlessly readable,&rdquo; The Soldier of Freedom is a moving profile of a leader gifted with rare political talent in an era of extraordinary challenges.</div>

The Definitive FDR

<div>The New York Times&ndash;bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner examines the history of leadership, and the crucial role of leaders in a healthy democracy. In Transforming Leadership, James MacGregor Burns illuminates the evolution of leadership structures&mdash;from the chieftains of tribal African societies, through Europe&rsquo;s absolute monarchies, to the blossoming of the Enlightenment&rsquo;s ideals of liberty and happiness during the American Revolution. Along the way, he looks at key breakthroughs in leadership and the towering leaders who attempted to transform their worlds&mdash;Elizabeth I, Washington, Jefferson, Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Gorbachev, and others. Culminating in a bold and innovative plan to address the greatest global leadership challenge of the twenty-first century, the long-intractable problem of global poverty, Transforming Leadership will spark lively discussion in classrooms and boardrooms throughout the country. </div>

Transforming Leadership

<div>An &ldquo;immensely interesting&rdquo; account of how Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor led the United States through some of its most turbulent decades (David McCullough). The Three Roosevelts is the extraordinary political biography of the intertwining lives of Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor Roosevelt, who emerged from the closed society of New York&rsquo;s Knickerbocker elite to become the most prominent American political family of the twentieth century. As Pulitzer Prize&ndash; and National Book Award&ndash;winning author James MacGregor Burns and acclaimed historian Susan Dunn follow the evolution of the Roosevelt political philosophy, they illuminate how Theodore&rsquo;s example of dynamic leadership would later inspire the careers of his distant cousin Franklin and his niece Eleanor, who together forged a progressive political legacy that reverberated throughout the world. Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor Roosevelt led America through some of the most turbulent times in its history. The Three Roosevelts takes readers on an exhilarating voyage through these tumultuous decades of our nation&rsquo;s past, and these momentous events are seen through the Roosevelts&rsquo; eyes, their actions, and their passions. Insightful and authoritative, this is a fascinating portrait of three of America&rsquo;s greatest leaders, whose legacy is as controversial today as their vigorous brand of forward-looking politics was in their own lifetimes. &ldquo;A remarkable example of narrative and biographical history at its best.&rdquo; &mdash;Pittsburgh Post-Gazette &ldquo;A detailed study . . . Written with impeccable scholarship.&rdquo; &mdash;Houston Chronicle &ldquo;Show[s] how TR set FDR off on reform, and how Eleanor pushed Franklin, and how FDR used Eleanor as his legs . . . and as his conscience.&rdquo; &mdash;The Boston Globe </div>

The Three Roosevelts

<div>The Pulitzer Prize–winning historian explores history’s most daring and transformational intellectual movement, the European and American Enlightenment. In this engaging, provocative history, James MacGregor Burns illuminates the two-hundred-year conflagration of the Enlightenment, when audacious questions and astonishing ideas tore across Europe and the New World. They transformed thought, overturned governments, and inspired visionary political experiments. Fire and Light brings to life the revolutionary leaders who, armed with a new sense of human possibility, created the modern world. Burns traces the origins of a distinctive American Enlightenment to men like Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, and their early encounters with incendiary European ideas about liberty and equality. It was these thinker-activists who framed the United States as a grand and continuing experiment in Enlightenment principles. Today the same principles have taken on new urgency around the world: in the turmoil of the Arab world, in the former Soviet Union, and in China, as well as in the United States itself. What should a nation be? What should citizens expect from their government? Who should lead, and how can leadership be made both effective and accountable? What is happiness, and what can the state contribute to it? Burns’s exploration of the ideals and arguments that formed the bedrock of our modern world shines a new light on these ever-important questions. Praise for Fire and Light “With this profound and magnificent book, Burns takes us into the fire’s center. . . . Essential for deciphering the challenges of the world we will live in tomorrow.” —Michael Beschloss, New York Times–bestselling author of Presidential Courage “James MacGregor Burns is a national treasure, and Fire and Light is the elegiac capstone to a career devoted to understanding the seminal ideas that made America—for better and for worse—what it is.” —Joseph J. Ellis, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award–winning author of Revolutionary Summer “[A] captivating tale. . . . Briskly and beautifully told. . . . Superb.” —Publishers Weekly</div>

James MacGregor Burns
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Books By James MacGregor Burns (12 Books)

Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882–1940)

Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom (1940–1945)

Leadership

The American Experiment

The Vineyard of Liberty, 1787–1863

The Crosswinds of Freedom, 1932–1988

The Workshop of Democracy, 1863–1932

John Kennedy

The Definitive FDR

Transforming Leadership

The Three Roosevelts

Fire and Light

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