Juliette L. George

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Presidential Personality and Performance

Juliette L. George; Alexander L. George

Synopsis:
Alexander and Juliette George have long been highly regarded for their pathbreaking research in the effect of personality on leadership and management of high political office. Their book, Woodrow Wilson and Colonel House, helped found the field of psychobiography, which has grown immensely as historians, psychologists, political scientists, and physicians have contributed additional research. The contents of this new book reflect the authors' interest over half a century in the impact of personality on the political behavior of our political leaders. Throughout, the authors strongly caution against medical or psychological reductionism and point to problems inherent in applying psychodynamic theories to personality-oriented biography. Early chapters examine the relevance of psychoanalytic theory, the uses of psychodynamic approaches to case materials, and revisit the critical responses to Woodrow Wilson and Colonel House. The middle chapters discuss methods of writing psychobiography and assessing presidential character, including the psychological suitability of candidates for the office. The concluding chapter analyzes the presidential management styles of FDR, Harry S. Truman, JFK, LBJ, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Bill Clinton.

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Other editions: Hardcover - 1997