A review by rifledoc1
Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin

4.0

In “Leadership: In Turbulent Times,” author Doris Kearns Goodwin presents leadership focused historical case studies of four U.S. presidents, all subjects of previous Goodwin works, as they dealt with some of the most significant challenges of their administrations. The case studies include ; Abraham Lincoln and the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, Theodore Rosevelt and the coal workers strike of 1902, Franklin Rosevelt and his first 100 days in office during Great Depression , and Lyndon Johnson as he worked to promote his Great Society legislation on the months following the assassination of President Kennedy. Goodwin presents these case studies in three parts, stating with explanations of the ambitions that first drove each man to seek a life in politics. Next Goodwin explains how each overcome the adversity of a seminal life event, and then finally she gives examples of the leadership skills each president used to successfully help guide the Nation though tumultuous events. Goodwin turns historical facts into entertaining stories that leave the reader with the sense they know each man, and she gives readers an appreciation the leadership traits each President used to overcome the diversity of their times with outcomes of far reaching benefit to all Americans. The one negative comment I have is the use of bulletized leadership traits to subdivide the chapters in part three of the book. This format seemed a bit out of a distraction, and these leadership traits could have been just as effectively identified using the same narrative style of the first two parts of the book.

Why read this book? Aside from being an entertaining and informative history of some of the Presidents who helped the Nation though some of the most trying times, the book also gives readers excellent examples of individuals overcoming personal adversity and of individuals who provided positive leadership during times of adversity. There examples will provide inspiration to anyone facing turbulent times in their own lives, or anyone helping to lead others through turbulent times in any type of situation.