The Unfinished Presidency

Jimmy Carter left the White House in January 1981, defeated in his bid for reelection and rejected by the American public – but hardly broken. In fact, as Douglas Brinkley’s book reveals, he attacked the next phase of his life more determined than ever, outside the scrutinized and politicized Oval Office, to complete a mission to pursue peace in embattled areas throughout the world, from Bosnia to Haiti. Historian Douglas Brinkley has had unique and intimate access to the former president, as well as exclusive access to the postpresidential papers, including Carter’s correspondence with fellow world leaders Mikhail Gorbachev, Deng Xiaoping, Margaret Thatcher, and Oscar Arias. Brinkley’s book captures Carter’s prickly personality and remarkable political life, including the complex relationships he has developed with such international pariahs as Fidel Castro, Kim Il Sung, Hafez al-Assad, and Yasir Arafat. He explores the sometimes difficult relationships Carter has had with the presidents who have succeeded him, and details his extraordinary partnership with Rosalynn, his fearless ally and confidante.