Most Popular Books by David Gergen

From Nixon to Clinton, Watergate to Whitewater, few Americans have observed the ups and downs of presidential leadership more closely over the past thirty years than David Gergen. A White House adviser to four presidents, both Republican and Democrat, he offers a vivid, behind-the-scenes account of their struggles to exercise power and draws from them key lessons for leaders of the future. Gergen begins Eyewitness to Power with his reminiscence of being the thirty-year-old chief of the White House speechwriting team under Richard Nixon, a young man at the center of the Watergate storm. He analyzes what made Nixon strong -- and then brought him crashing down: Why Nixon was the best global strategist among recent presidents. How others may gain his strategic sense. How Nixon allowed his presidency to spin out of control. Why the demons within destroyed him. What lessons there are in Nixon''s disaster. Gergen recounts how President Ford recruited him to help shore up his White House as special counsel. Here Gergen considers: Why Ford is one of our most underrated presidents. Why his pardon of Nixon was right on the merits but was so mishandled that it cost him his presidency. Even in his brief tenure, Ford offers lessons of leadership for others, as Gergen explains. Though Gergen had worked in two campaigns against him, Ronald Reagan called him back to the White House again, where he served as the Gipper''s first director of communications. Here he describes: How Reagan succeeded where others have failed. Why his temperament was more important than his intelligence. How he mastered relations with Congress and the press. The secrets of "the Great Communicator" and why his speeches were the most effective since those of John Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt. In 1993, Bill Clinton surprised Gergen -- and the political world -- when he recruited the veteran of Republican White Houses to join him as counselor after his early stumbles. Gergen reveals: Why Clinton could have been one of our best presidents but fell short. How the Bill-and-Hillary seesaw rocked the White House. How failures to understand the past brought Ken Starr to the door. Why the new ways in which leadership was developed by the Clinton White House hold out hope, and what dangers they threaten. As the twenty-first century opens, Gergen argues, a new golden age may be dawning in America, but its realization will depend heavily upon the success of a new generation at the top. Drawing upon all his many experiences in the White House, he offers seven key lessons for leaders of the future. What they must have, he says, are: inner mastery; a central, compelling purpose rooted in moral values; a capacity to persuade; skills in working within the system; a fast start; a strong, effective team; and a passion that inspires others to keep the flame alive. Eyewitness to Power is a down-to-earth, authoritative guide to leadership in the tradition of Richard Neustadt''s Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents.

"From the bestselling author of EYEWITNESS TO POWER, a practical study of leadership and a cri de coeur for young leaders to commit themselves to public service"--

"[Um] livro fascinante e multifacetado... inspirador e útil... Poucos livros têm tanto a oferecer aos leitores que pensam em entrar na arena. Nossa esperança é que eles atendam ao convincente chamado à ação de Gergen."— The Washington Post "Com a eloquência e a perspicácia que o caracterizam, David Gergen nos oferece insights inestimáveis de suas décadas de observação, pesquisa, ensino e prática de liderança. Este livro é uma contribuição indispensável para compreendermos como criar os líderes éticos e eficazes de que tanto necessitamos."— Drew Faust, presidente emérita da Harvard University e professora da cadeira Arthur Kingsley Porter "Um chamado de clarim para vidas dedicadas ao serviço e à liderança, oferecendo lições sábias e uma perspectiva única da experiência de meio século de Gergen na arena pública. Hoje é o momento certo para este trabalho vital e atraente."— Doris Kearns Goodwin, ganhadora do Prêmio Pulitzer e autora de Liderança em Tempos de Crise "David Gergen se dirige direta e calorosamente a uma crescente geração de diversos novos líderes. Corações Movidos pela Paixão não apenas pede aos jovens que se comprometam com uma vida de serviço e liderança, mas também fornece ferramentas e orientações sobre como fazer. Elaborado com esmero e transbordante de otimismo, este é, hoje, um livro necessário, que acalenta a alma e serve como catalisador para a ação de todos."— Cheryl L. Dorsey, presidente da Echoing Green

The papers of James S. Flansburg reflect his professional career as a reporter, editor, and columnist for the Des Moines Register. Along with correspondence, there are subject files, appointment books, and editorials.