In the rousing style he's famous for, Paul Johnson offers a fascinating biography of Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike). Johnson chronicles Ike's modest childhood in Kansas and his swift rise through the military ranks, culminating in his appointment as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces during World War II. Johnson then paints a rich portrait of Eisenhower's presidency, many elements of which speak to American politics today: his ability to balance the budget, his mastery in managing an oppositional Congress and his prescient warnings about the military-industrial complex.