James David Barber was a Duke University political scientist and provocateur best known for exploring the psychology of Oval Office aspirants and occupants. He spent years as a consultant to "NBC Nightly News" and as a board member of the Poynter Institute, a center for the study of journalism and media ethics in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Praise for the Original Edition of The Presidential Character “Given the imposing power of our Presidents today, there are few subjects of greater import; and Barber has written an important book on the subject.” Bruce Mazlish in The New York Times “Comes closer to the truth about why presidents do what they do than any other author.” Hugh Sidney in Life Magazine “The most original, most provocative, and most daring study of the presidency of the past decade... A major intellectual breakthrough.” James MacGregor Burns (late of Williams College and the James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland)

• 1. PRESIDENTIAL CHARACTER AND HOW TO FORESEE IT  2. THREE TRAGIC TALES  3. THE ACTIVE-NEGATIVE PRESIDENTS  4. THE ORIGINS OF PRESIDENTIAL COMPULSION  5. RICHARD NIXON: CONSTRUCTION AND DESTRUCTION  6. THE PASSIVE-NEGATIVE PRESIDENTS  7. THE PASSIVE-POSITIVE PRESIDENTS  8. REAGAN’S RISE AND RULE  9. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT AND ACTIVE-POSITIVE AFFECTION  10. HARRY S TRUMAN AND ACTIVE-POSITIVE COMBAT  11. JOHN F. KENNEDY AND ACTIVE-POSITIVE COMMITMENT  12. THE CRUCIAL FORD TRANSITION  13. JIMMY CARTER: PREDICTED AND REVIEWED  14. GEORGE BUSH: THE WORLD VIEW DILEMMA  15. ADDING IT UP

James David Barber was a Duke University political scientist and provocateur best known for exploring the psychology of Oval Office aspirants and occupants. He spent years as a consultant to "NBC Nightly News" and as a board member of the Poynter Institute, a center for the study of journalism and media ethics in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Praise for the Original Edition of The Presidential Character “Given the imposing power of our Presidents today, there are few subjects of greater import; and Barber has written an important book on the subject.” Bruce Mazlish in The New York Times “Comes closer to the truth about why presidents do what they do than any other author.” Hugh Sidney in Life Magazine “The most original, most provocative, and most daring study of the presidency of the past decade... A major intellectual breakthrough.” James MacGregor Burns (late of Williams College and the James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland)

• 1. PRESIDENTIAL CHARACTER AND HOW TO FORESEE IT  2. THREE TRAGIC TALES  3. THE ACTIVE-NEGATIVE PRESIDENTS  4. THE ORIGINS OF PRESIDENTIAL COMPULSION  5. RICHARD NIXON: CONSTRUCTION AND DESTRUCTION  6. THE PASSIVE-NEGATIVE PRESIDENTS  7. THE PASSIVE-POSITIVE PRESIDENTS  8. REAGAN’S RISE AND RULE  9. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT AND ACTIVE-POSITIVE AFFECTION  10. HARRY S TRUMAN AND ACTIVE-POSITIVE COMBAT  11. JOHN F. KENNEDY AND ACTIVE-POSITIVE COMMITMENT  12. THE CRUCIAL FORD TRANSITION  13. JIMMY CARTER: PREDICTED AND REVIEWED  14. GEORGE BUSH: THE WORLD VIEW DILEMMA  15. ADDING IT UP