{"product_id":"baptism-by-fire-eight-presidents-who-took-office-in-times-of-crisis-9780312388034","title":"Baptism by Fire: Eight Presidents Who Took Office in Times of Crisis","description":"\u003cp\u003eAmericans have long been defined by how they face adversity. This is perhaps nowhere more evident than in how the nations chief executive has tackled myriad issues upon entering the White House. The ways that U.S. presidents handle the vast responsibilities of the Oval Office determine the fate of the nation---and  in many cases  the fate of the world. In this fascinating narrative  presidential historian Mark Updegrove looks at eight U.S. presidents who inherited unprecedented crises immediately upon assuming the reigns of power. George Washington led a fragile and fledgling nation while defining the very role of the presidency. When Thomas Jefferson entered the White House  he faced a nation bitterly divided by a two-party schism far more severe than anything encountered today. John Tyler stepped into the office of the presidency during the constitutional crisis left by the first death of a sitting president. Abraham Lincoln inherited a divided nation on the brink of war. Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to quell Americas fears during the depths of the Great Depression. His successor  Harry S. Truman  was sworn in as commander in chief at the close of World War II  and John F. Kennedy stepped into the increasingly heated atmosphere of the cold war. In the wake of Watergate  the first unelected president  Gerald R. Ford  aimed to end Americas long national nightmare. As the forty-fourth president takes office  Updegrove presents a timely look at these chief executives and the challenges they faced. In examining the ways in which presidents have addressed crises  Baptism by Fire illustrates the importance of character in leadershipand in the resilience of America itself.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45648022503477,"sku":"ByrdShop_0312388039","price":26.07,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780312388034.jpg?v=1781706859","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/baptism-by-fire-eight-presidents-who-took-office-in-times-of-crisis-9780312388034","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}