Analyzes the contrast between Kennedy's achievements and his legend, tracing the successes and failures of such events as the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis while exploring the ways in which he reshaped views of the presidency.

"This...compact biography chronicles Franklin Delano Roosevelt's rise from a childhood of privilege to a presidency that forever changed the face of international diplomacy, the American party system, and the government's role in global and domestic policy. Brinkley...provides a clear, concise introduction to Roosevelt's sphinx-like character and remarkable achievements. In a vivid narrative packed with telling anecdotes, the book moves swiftly from...

Uses photographs, maps, illustrations, posters, manuscripts, letters, and other treasures in the Special Collections of the Library of Congress to document the history of the United States from 1492 through the late twentieth century, and includes seven essays of historical commentary.

Collects essays contributed by historians describing thirty-one specific days which altered American history, including the Great Awakening of 1740, the Seneca Falls Convention, and San Francisco's "Human Be-in" gathering.