Franklin Delano Roosevelt, one of America's greatest presidents, built a diverse coalition of labor, ethnic, urban, low-income, and African American voters that solidified the Democratic Party's dominance from the 1930s to the 1980s. During his four terms, he implemented the New Deal, the most significant reform program in US history, to address the Great Depression, guided the nation toward victory in World War II, and established the modern presidency as a central force in American politics. Iwan Morgan offers a fresh perspective on FDR, highlighting how his leadership enabled the US to emerge as the most successful country of the twentieth century. This insightful evaluation reveals how Roosevelt enhanced the governing capacity of the presidency, initiated a constitutional revolution through his interactions with the Supreme Court, and fostered a closer connection between the president and the public through his exceptional communication skills. It also underscores his strategic leadership as commander-in-chief during the war, his role in uniting the US-British-Soviet Grand Alliance against the Axis powers, and his innovative approach to the national-security presidency aimed at ensuring lasting peace post-war. Morgan's fluid prose illustrates how FDR transformed the presidency into an institution of both domestic and international leadership, establishing the modern ideal of an assertive, democratic executive.
