George W. Bush stirred powerful feelings on both sides of the aisle. Republicans viewed him as a resolute leader who guided America through the worst terrorist attack in its history and retaliated in Afghanistan and Iraq, while Democrats saw him as an overmatched president, subservient to his advisers, who led America into two open-ended and inconclusive wars that sapped the nation's resources and diminished its stature. When Bush left office amid a growing financial crisis, both parties were eager to move on. In this assessment of the nation's forty-third president, the veteran national security journalist James Mann looks beyond the partisan debate to shed light on why George W. Bush made the decisions that shaped his presidency and how the internal debates and fissures within his administration played out in such a charged atmosphere. He shows how and why Bush, despite his political talents, became a polarizing figure in both domestic and foreign affairs, and he examines how Bush's most consequential actions-Iraq, the tax cuts, the war on terror-came about and how they could shape America's course at home and abroad for decades. With a broad perspective and deep knowledge gleaned from years of reporting, Mann's history of this tumultuous presidency points the way to a more complete understanding of George W. Bush and his times.

The latest volume in the American Presidents series meets its goal of providing a concise yet thorough biography of the 43rd president. Mann's claim that Bush's tenure 'was, by any standard, one of the most consequential presidencies in American history' is made from a balanced assessment of the facts. -- Publishers Weekly

An insightful biography -- Kirkus Reviews

[Bush's tenure] occurred 'at a critical juncture in American history'.... As president, that critical juncture overtook him, first and foremost on 9/11 but as fatefully later with Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 financial crash...A sober overview. -- Booklist

[Mann weaves] extensive interviewing and archival research to produce insightful analyses and fresh perspectives on our own times.... George W. Bush is also the relatively rare book about our 43rd president that could be read appreciatively by both supporters and detractors.... Mann adopts an almost studied neutrality, adhering for the most part to the unbiased tone of the newspaper reporter. -- The Washington Post

[The American Presidents Series] offers brisk biographies of each president in crisp, straightforward prose, a formula Mann follows with precision. -- The Christian Science Monitor

The latest volume in the American Presidents series meets its goal of providing a concise yet thorough biography of the 43rd president. Mann's claim that Bush's tenure 'was, by any standard, one of the most consequential presidencies in American history' is made from a balanced assessment of the facts. -- Publishers Weekly

An insightful biography -- Kirkus Reviews

[Bush's tenure] occurred 'at a critical juncture in American history'.... As president, that critical juncture overtook him, first and foremost on 9/11 but as fatefully later with Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 financial crash...A sober overview. -- Booklist

[Mann weaves] extensive interviewing and archival research to produce insightful analyses and fresh perspectives on our own times. George W. Bush is also the relatively rare book about our 43rd president that could be read appreciatively by both supporters and detractors. Mann adopts an almost studied neutrality, adhering for the most part to the unbiased tone of the newspaper reporter. The Washington Post

[The American Presidents Series] offers brisk biographies of each president in crisp, straightforward prose, a formula Mann follows with precision. The Christian Science Monitor

The latest volume in the American Presidents series meets its goal of providing a concise yet thorough biography of the 43rd president. Mann's claim that Bush's tenure was, by any standard, one of the most consequential presidencies in American history' is made from a balanced assessment of the facts. Publishers Weekly

An insightful biography Kirkus Reviews

[Bush's tenure] occurred at a critical juncture in American history' . As president, that critical juncture overtook him, first and foremost on 9/11 but as fatefully later with Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 financial crash A sober overview. Booklist

[Mann weaves] extensive interviewing and archival research to produce insightful analyses and fresh perspectives on our own times. George W. Bush is also the relatively rare book about our 43rd president that could be read appreciatively by both supporters and detractors. Mann adopts an almost studied neutrality, adhering for the most part to the unbiased tone of the newspaper reporter. The Washington Post

[The American Presidents Series] offers brisk biographies of each president in crisp, straightforward prose, a formula Mann follows with precision. The Christian Science Monitor

The latest volume in the American Presidents series meets its goal of providing a concise yet thorough biography of the 43rd president. Mann's claim that Bush's tenure was, by any standard, one of the most consequential presidencies in American history' is made from a balanced assessment of the facts. Publishers Weekly

An insightful biography Kirkus Reviews

[Bush's tenure] occurred at a critical juncture in American history' . As president, that critical juncture overtook him, first and foremost on 9/11 but as fatefully later with Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 financial crash A sober overview. Booklist

[Mann weaves] extensive interviewing and archival research to produce insightful analyses and fresh perspectives on our own times.... George W. Bush is also the relatively rare book about our 43rd president that could be read appreciatively by both supporters and detractors.... Mann adopts an almost studied neutrality, adhering for the most part to the unbiased tone of the newspaper reporter. --The Washington Post

[The American Presidents Series] offers brisk biographies of each president in crisp, straightforward prose, a formula Mann follows with precision. --The Christian Science Monitor

The latest volume in the American Presidents series meets its goal of providing a concise yet thorough biography of the 43rd president. Mann's claim that Bush's tenure 'was, by any standard, one of the most consequential presidencies in American history' is made from a balanced assessment of the facts. --Publishers Weekly

An insightful biography --Kirkus Reviews

[Bush's tenure] occurred 'at a critical juncture in American history'.... As president, that critical juncture overtook him, first and foremost on 9/11 but as fatefully later with Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 financial crash...A sober overview. --Booklist

James Mann is the author of six books on American politics and national security issues, including Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush's War Cabinet and The Obamians: The Struggle Inside the White House to Redefine American Power. A longtime correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, he is currently a fellow in residence at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He lives in Washington, D.C.