The maverick politician from Georgia who rode the post- Watergate wave into office but whose term was consumed by economic and international crises A peanut farmer from Georgia, Jimmy Carter rose to national power through mastering the strategy of the maverick politician. As the face of the "New South," Carter's strongest support emanated from his ability to communicate directly to voters who were disaffected by corruption in politics. But running as an outsider was easier than governing as one, as Princeton historian Julian E. Zelizer shows in this examination of Carter's presidency. Once in power, Carter faced challenges sustaining a strong political coalition, as he focused on policies that often antagonized key Democrats, whose support he desperately needed. By 1980, Carter stood alone in the Oval Office as he confronted a battered economy, soaring oil prices, American hostages in Iran, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Carter's unpopularity enabled Ronald Reagan to achieve a landslide victory, ushering in a conservative revolution. But during Carter's post-presidential career, he has emerged as an important voice for international diplomacy and negotiation, remaking his image as a statesman for our time. This latest volume in the Holt series of compact biographies of American presidents is written by a Princeton professor of history. When politicians, pundits, and even historians speak of a failed presidency, the Carter administration is often cited. The term may be simplistic, even unfair, yet this engaging survey indicates that it is a resonably accurate description of Carter’s single term. Zelizer pays sufficient attention to Carter’s youth, his rise through Georgia politics, and his postpresidential efforts at international mediation. But the most engrossing portion of the work deals with Carter’s successes (there were some) and failures as president. He campaigned and won as a political outsider; unfortunately, he was unable to learn that he couldn’t govern as an outsider. He lacked the traditional ties to the core elements of the Democratic Party. When the Iran hostage crisis and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan eroded his support among independent voters, he lacked a hard-core base to rally behind him. For general readers, this work offers a fine analysis of the man and his career. --Jay Freeman “Outstanding… An accessible, insightful examination of the Carter presidency by journalist and Princeton history professor Julian E. Zelizer... Not only a lucid overview of Carter's troubled presidency but also an almost photorealistic portrait of the former president.” ― Christian Science Monitor “Engaging… The most engrossing portion of the work deals with Carter's successes (there were some) and failures as president… For general readers, this work offers a fine analysis of the man and his career.” ― Booklist “In just 150 pages, Zelizer manages to effectively analyze how Carter's personality has led him to both failure and success.” ― Kirkus Reviews Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of Arsenal of Democracy: The Politics of National Security from World War II to the War on Terrorism , Taxing America: Wilbur D. Mills, Congress and the State, 1945-1975, and a biography of Jimmy Carter. He is a regular contributor to CNN.com, The Daily Beast , Politico , The Huffington Post , and other publications. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. , (1917-2007) was the preeminent political historian of our time. For more than half a century, he was a cornerstone figure in the intellectual life of the nation and a fixture on the political scene. He won two Pulitzer prizes for The Age of Jackson (1946) and A Thousand Days (1966), and in 1988 received the National Humanities Medal. He published the first volume of his autobiography, A Life in the Twentieth Century , in 2000. Sean Wilentz , a professor of history at Princeton University, is the author or editor of several books, including Chants Democratic and The Rise of American Democracy . He has also written for The New York Times , the Los Angeles Times , The New Republic , and other publications. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.