Important . . . (a) landmark presidential biography . . . Bird is able to build a persuasive case that the Carter presidency deserves this new lookThe New York Times Book ReviewAn essential re-evaluation of the complex triumphs and tragedies of Jimmy Carter's presidential legacyfrom the expert biographer and Pulitzer Prizewinning co-author of American PrometheusFour decades after Ronald Reagan's landslide win in 1980, Jimmy Carter's one-term presidency is often labeled a failure, indeed, many Americans view Carter as the only ex-president to have used the White House as a stepping-stone to greater achievements. But in retrospect the Carter political odyssey is a rich and human story, marked by both formidable accomplishments and painful political adversity. In this deeply researched, brilliantly written account, Pulitzer Prizewinning biographer Kai Bird deftly unfolds the Carter saga as a tragic tipping point in American history. As president, Carter was not merely an outsider, he was an outlier. He was the only president in a century to grow up in the heart of the Deep South, and his born-again Christianity made him the most openly religious president in memory. This outlier brought to the White House a rare mix of humility, candor, and unnerving self-confidence that neither Washington nor America was ready to embrace.