From Simon & Schuster, The Power to Lead is James MacGregor Burns' exploration into the crisis of the American presidency.

Including a prologue on the desertion of the system, Burns describes an American political system that "faces a pervasive crisis of self-confidence that only the rarest kind of leadership can overcome."

James MacGregor Burns is a bestselling historian and political scientist whose work has earned both the National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize. Born in Boston, he earned his BA at Williams College, where he returned to teach history and political science after obtaining his PhD at Harvard and serving in World War II. He served as the Woodrow Wilson Professor of Government Emeritus at Williams College and as Distinguished Leadership Scholar at the University of Maryland.