Serve to Lead® | James Strock

PHILIP K. HOWARD is a distinguished lawyer, best-selling author, and proven civic leader. He is chair of Common Good, a nonpartisan organization aimed at simplifying government. In his new book, Saving Can-Do: How to Revive the Spirit of America, Howard untangles the gordian knot of populism and broken governance seizing up the American experiment as we approach our 250th anniversary. Get full access to The New Nationalist™ at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

Critical minerals are the new oil—and the global competition for the clean energy future is on. As nations around the world transition toward a cleaner, more diversified portfolio of energy sources, the spotlight is turning to critical minerals. Lithium and other minerals have uses from electric vehicles and e-bikes to smartphones, computers, medical devices, and drones. The implications are far-reaching: —how should environmental costs and benefits be calculated? —how should we evaluate environmental safeguards in the US and other developed nations that restrict mining and refining of critical minerals? —how should the economic, cultural, and human rights of people in the vicinity of critical mineral exploration and development be protected, including in the Global South? —what are the implications for an intensifying, multifaceted competition with China? Filmmaker Samuel George examines these and other issues in his soon-to-be released documentary, “Lithium Rising: The Race for Critical Minerals.” The accompanying book is out now, available as a free pdf from the Bertelsmann Foundation. About Samuel George Dr. Samuel George is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and analyst for the Bertelsmann Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, DC. Samuel’s documentaries bring viewers up close and personal to people and communities facing the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, offering candid perspectives that allow viewers to draw their own conclusions. His films focus on the intersection of politics, economics, social issues, and daily life. Three of his films have in syndication on PBS, and a number of others are available on streaming services. All films are freely available online from the Bertelsmann Foundation. George graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Oberlin College in 2007, and a Master’s Degree in International Economics and Latin American Studies from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in 2012. He completed a PhD at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in 2024. Image Credits | Samuel George Films. Get full access to The New Nationalist™ at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

We are in the midst of a series of transformations—political, financial, economic, international, and cultural. At the center of our public affairs for the past decade—for better or worse or a bit of both depending on your point of view—is President Donald Trump. New York Times reporter Peter Baker said in 2025, “Trump is the most powerful president of our lifetime.” At the six-month point of Trump’s second term—like Grover Cleveland’s, discontinuous from his first—how do we evaluate Trump and his administration? In this episode of the Serve to Lead Podcast, presidential historian Luke Nichter offers his highly informed, judicious perspective. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

University of Chicago political scientist John Mearsheimer argues that “Nationalism is the most powerful political ideology on the planet.” Nationalism is flaring across the world in the 2020s. The Russia-Ukraine War can be comprehended as a contest of competing nationalist visions. Nationalist themes are rising in the politics of the United States and United Kingdom, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Turkey, Israel, India, and China. Nationalist sentiment is surging even in Canada, in response to President Trump’s rhetorical and trade war. In this episode of the Serve to Lead Podcast, historian Eric Storm discusses his important, timely, and readable new book, Nationalism: A World History. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, historian, educator, author, and activist Elisabeth Griffith discusses American Women Making History: Past, Present & Future. Dr. Griffith considers a range of issues, including: her wide-angle view of the state of women in the US today; the significance of “gender equity” in politics; the relative contributions of politics, culture, technology, science, education, and finance in evolving understandings of gender roles in the Collective West; how history can inform our navigation of the future; how AI may supercharge the teaching and learning of history; and much more. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

Anthropology is the study of what makes us human. With memorable elan, Wade Davis applies anthropology as a platform for exploring and illuminating a range of phenomena. A polymath possessing a restless intellect and unflagging energy, Davis explores the further reaches of the planet as well as familiar, often underexamined matters closer to home. As he gets beneath the surface of things, he reveals interconnections and conjures unexpected associations. In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, Wade Davis discusses his celebrated new book, Beneath the Surface of Things: New and Selected Essays. In conversation as in writing, he’s eloquent and insightful on topics ranging from the knock-on effects of the global pandemic to the potential for an actionable political project to address global climate disruption. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, author Ken Khachigian discusses his important, highly readable, and critically acclaimed new book, Behind Closed Doors: In the Room with Reagan and Nixon. Khachigian has achieved a storied career in American politics. He has been a participant in some of the great events of the second half of the tumultuous twentieth century, including: —the improbable comeback of Richard Nixon, reaching the White House in the world historic year, 1968; —the high and low points of the extraordinary Nixon presidency, including the Watergate events and aftermath; —the Reagan administration and the Gipper’s historic campaigns; —the linkage of these California leaders and the Golden State to the wider arc of American history. Publisher’s Summary In Behind Closed Doors: In the Room with Reagan & Nixon, White House history is revealed like never before by Ken Khachigian as an eyewitness with two unprecedented perspectives: a unique, contemporary hands-on account of Ronald Reagan’s presidency and an exclusive chronicle of Richard Nixon’s emergence and political footprint in the first months and years after his resignation. Behind Closed Doors flows with insights, anecdotes and disclosures that reveal these men and their presidencies as never before. Ken Khachigian – trusted adviser, counselor and speechwriter to the Cold War’s presidential lions – brings readers behind the scenes as his bosses navigated crises, confronted opponents and staked their legacies. This intimate, riveting book takes you inside the Oval Office, Air Force One, Camp David and the Western White House as Khachigian opens his diaries, secret memos, and contemporaneous notes to share untold history. Get the insider’s view of the West Wing every moment of the week leading up to the day Richard Nixon resigned, then go to Nixon’s San Clemente home as the former president worked to rebuild his shattered reputation. Witness as Nancy Reagan emerges as critical partner, and even fierce challenger, to her husband. And learn of Nixon’s secret advice to Reagan, of Reagan’s preparation to meet with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and the first-ever account of the exchange at Reagan and Nixon’s private meeting when both were former presidents. Eavesdrop on the dramatic decisions of the 1980 and ’84 presidential campaigns and be the first to know precisely how Reagan viewed his Revolution’s crusade. Khachigian provides a fascinating glimpse behind Pennsylvania Avenue’s iron gates and secretive oaken doors as he also exposes self-serving power-grabs, betrayals and intrigues that shrouded the capital’s halls. Critical Acclaim Ken Khachigian has written the most lucid, most important work about the postwar period. For an inside look at how ugly politics can be—and how noble—you cannot miss this book. I still love Ken after fifty years and you will, too, when you read this jewel of a memoir. —Ben Stein, Economist, law professor, multi Emmy awarded actor, speechwriter for Presidents Nixon and Ford, novelist, and screenwriterThis is essential reading for anyone wanting to know how Ronald Reagan shaped his crusading message of economic growth through tax cuts and limited government. Khachigian’s is a fascinating account by one who takes you into the rooms where the decisions were made. —Larry Kudlow, Host of Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow” and Former Director, National Economic CouncilTo understand Nixon and Reagan, the two crucial Presidents and coalition builders of the last third of the 20th century, the insights of Ken Khachigian, the confidant who advised them both, seem indispensable. —Pat Buchanan, White House Aide to Presidents Nixon and ReaganKen Khachigian is a great conservative and patriot, and his book will give you the inside view of a presidency that will go down in history as one of greatness and strength. —Ed Rollins, Ronald Reagan’s White House Political DirectorKen Khachigian offers a riveting account of his thrilling...

In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, author Megan Gorman illuminates a little explored aspect of our best-known political figures: their personal finances. We all know George Washington was our first president, our first of all firsts—First in War, First in Peace, First in the Hearts of His Countrymen. Was Washington also first in his financial and business acumen? Abraham Lincoln is shrouded in myth. Megan Gorman demonstrates how "The Railsplitter" may be an apt exemplar for young people today, overcoming hardscrabble beginnings, poor business decisions, crippling debt, and marital tensions to achieve financial independence. Gerald Ford is recalled as an accidental president, a footnote in history. Yet he emerges in Gorman’s reporting as the pioneer of the lucrative post-presidential career path that is now the norm. In this compelling book, Megan Gorman uncovers and distills the surprising and useful business and financial lessons of our commanders in chief. Publisher’s Summary A journey through the personal money stories of the US presidents and how they built wealth—or didn’t.Was Harry Truman really our poorest president or simply a man up at 2 a.m. struggling with financial anxiety? Did Calvin Coolidge get bad advice from his stockbroker to buy stocks in 1930 as the market continued to crash? Is it true George Washington enhanced his net worth by marrying up?We often think of the US presidents as being above the fray. But the truth is, the presidents are just like us—worried about money, trying to keep a budget, and chasing the American financial dream. While some presidents like Herbert Hoover and Gerald Ford became wildly successful with money, others like Thomas Jefferson and Joe Biden struggled to sustain their lifestyle. The ability to win the presidency is no guarantee of financial security, although today it’s a much easier path to monetize.In All the Presidents’ Money, tax attorney and wealth manager Megan Gorman takes us on a journey to understand the different personal money stories of the presidents. Grit, education, and risk are just some of the different ways that the presidents over the last 250 years have made (or lost) money.With lively storytelling and rigorous research, All the Presidents’ Money reveals how some of the greatest leaders are the worst money managers and our least favorite presidents are good at making money. Critical Acclaim “Presidents’ personal finances open a window to their souls. In Gorman’s perceptive telling, presidents pair up in unexpected ways: Truman and Coolidge were both worrywarts. Eisenhower and Truman both wanted to reduce taxes on their book profits. FDR lost $24,000 in the lobster business. This book is the right gift for anyone in finance or accounting.” —Amity Shlaes, New York Times bestselling author of Coolidge “In this powerful book, Gorman examines the financial lives of American presidents and uses that as a platform to lay out clearly something that we all need to understand: the opportunity set for most Americans was greater in the past. But the insights she provides do not simply serve as a warning, they give us the understanding needed for a better future.” —Richard Vague, author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller The Paradox of Debt: A New Path to Prosperity Without Crisis “Few topics are more humanizing and relatable than an honest review of our relationships with money. In a fresh take on presidential history, Gorman lucidly examines the personal finances of those who have sat at the apex of national power and influence, resulting in stories of humility, grief, prudence, splendor, and extravagance. The power of ATPM is that within a few pages it becomes clear that every president demonstrates a thoroughly modern and relatable range of experiences with money and money management despite being the most powerful people of their respective times. The takeaways become more poignant when considering their mindsets toward debt, future...

Germany sustained a political earthquake in recent elections in the eastern states of Thuringia and Saxony. The parties of the national governing coalition sustained grievous losses—and a populist surge propelled the right-wing Alliance for Germany to record votes. Some sense ominous echoes of the rise to prominence of the Nazi Party in 1924. Jürgen Resch is well suited to evaluate the historic changes underway. He leads the respected NGO, Deutsche-Umwelthilfe. He is a co-founder of the Euronatur Foundation, the Global Nature Fund, and the Lake Constance Foundation. Active worldwide, including throughout the European Union and the United States, he is a recipient of many recognitions, including the Haagen-Smit Award from the California Air Resources Board. The New Nationalist is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the project, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. In discussion with James Strock, Resch illuminates the recent shock election results, including their implications for Germany and the broader European political landscape. He surveys the challenges faced by Germany's current federal government coalition, the rise of populism, and the decline of traditional political parties. Resch considers the consequences for environmental and energy policies in Germany, the impact of electric vehicles on the auto industry, and the future of renewable energy. Jurgen Resch is the author of a well-received book detailing his effective activist approach to environmental and energy politics: Druck machen!: Wie Politik und Wirtschaft wissentlich Umwelt und Klima schädigen–-und was wir wirksam dagegen tun können. Image Credit | Deutsche-Umwelthilfe. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

Elliot Ackerman is a widely respected writer. His reach extends across fiction and non-fiction, from novels to essays to memoir and commentary. He is an exemplar of Theodore Roosevelt’s ideal of service combining thought and action. In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, Ackerman discusses his bestselling new book, 2054: A Novel. This is a successor to 2034: A Novel of the Next World War. Each is coauthored with Admiral James Stavridis. A third volume, 2084, is also planned. Ackerman shares his views of the value of history and literature in comprehending the unprecedented challenges of our moment of global change and unrest—ranging from great power competition to climate disruption to the rise of new technologies, including artificial intelligence and biotechnology. He also reflects on how longstanding notions of spheres of influence may be transformed in our interconnected world. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, noted journalist Kourosh Ziabari shares his perspective on the intertwined destinies of Iran and America. Ziabari represents a rising generation in Iran and the US. Currently enrolled in the master’s program of the Columbia Journalism School, he has accrued experiences worthy of an extended career. Ziabari urges Americans to distinguish between our reactions to the authoritarian regime in Teheran and our affinities with the Iranian people. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

Benn Steil is an award-winning writer in the fields of finance, history, and biography. He is a senior fellow and director of international economics at the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations in New York. In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, Steil discusses his important new book, “The World That Wasn’t: Henry Wallace and the Fate of the American Century.' He explains the ongoing significance of Henry Wallace to our understanding of a hinge point of history, with parallels to our current moment. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

Philip K Howard is a leading reformer of American law and government. He combines thought and action: A prolific, best-selling writer and frequent commentator who founded the non-partisan group, Common Good. He is the author of an eagerly awaited new book, Everyday Freedom: Designing the Framework for a Flourishing Society. In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, Howard discusses the urgent need and prospects for change, in time for vigorous and informed citizen engagement in the pivotal 2024 national elections. In additional to national issues, he offers informed perspectives on state and local developments, including the vast reach of the California state budget. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

Richard Norton Smith is at the top tier of American presidential historians. He is the author of the highly acclaimed new biography: An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford. Smith is widely recognized for his regular appearances on the PBS News Hour, as well as a historical commentator on CBS and other networks. He’s a familiar and beloved guide to history on CSPAN. In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, Smith discusses his new book, including its genesis and the many parallels and connections between President Ford’s era and our own. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

Sasha Stone is a pioneering blogger and founder of Awards Daily, as well as a widely-read, provocative Substack, “Free Thinking Through the Fourth Turning.” She is on the vanguard of the realignment and re-sorting underway in our politics and culture. Sasha Stone’s lived experience is representative of those Bridget Phetasy calls “the politically homeless.” This refers to the rising plurality of Americans—nearing a majority of voters—who reject the enforced duopoly of the Democrats and Republicans. It’s as if the legacy parties are in a war of attrition, prompting a flood of refugees who have no place to call their own. In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, Sasha Stone discusses her journey from Hillary Clinton activist to politically independent. She concludes that some of the core values that inspired her earlier affiliations have prompted her to find unanticipated empathy with many Americans who are routinely marginalized and disrespected by the dominant political and cultural narrative of our polarized moment. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

Derek Leebaert—historian, strategist, organizational leadership and management consultant, and bestselling author of a series of critically acclaimed books—has written an outstanding and timely new work: Unlikely Heroes: Franklin Roosevelt, His Four Lieutenants, and the World They Made. In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, Leebaert discusses the book, its genesis and its uncanny relevance in our historic moment. Publisher’s Summary Only four people served at the top echelon of President Franklin Roosevelt's Administration from the frightening early months of spring 1933 until he died in April 1945, on the cusp of wartime victory. These lieutenants composed the tough, constrictive, long-term core of government. They built the great institutions being raised against the Depression, implemented the New Deal, and they were pivotal to winning World War II.Yet, in their different ways, each was as wounded as the polio-stricken titan. Harry Hopkins, Harold Ickes, Frances Perkins, and Henry Wallace were also strange outsiders. Up to 1933, none would ever have been considered for high office. Still, each became a world figure, and it would have been exceedingly difficult for Roosevelt to transform the nation without them. By examining the lives of these four, a very different picture emerges of how Americans saved their democracy and rescued civilization overseas. Many of the dangers that they all overcame are troublingly like those America faces today. About Derek Leebaert Derek Leebaert won the biennial 2020 Truman Book Award for Grand Improvisation. His previous books include Magic and Mayhem: The Delusions of American Foreign Policy from Korea to Afghanistan and To Dare and to Conquer: Special Operations and the Destiny of Nations, both Washington Post Best Books of the Year. He was a founding editor of the Harvard/MIT journal International Security and is a cofounder of the National Museum of the U.S. Army. He holds a D.Phil from Oxford and lives in Washington, D.C. Otherwise he has long been a management consultant, advising enterprises in the IT, defense, and healthcare sectors. He coauthored the MIT Press trilogy on the rise of the information technology revolution, including MIT's The Future of the Electronic Marketplace. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

Amid the kaleidoscopic changes testing and recasting the post-1945 liberal world order, none is more significant—and consequential—than the ascent of India. India and the United States have long maintained a unique relationship. Each nation is a post-colonial power. Each achieved independence from Great Britain after protracted struggle. Each is a demographically diverse nation governed by a representative democracy. The Council on Foreign Relations has created a useful timeline for US-India Relations from 1947-2020. Today, India is confronting a series of challenges: —rising nationalist populism; —financial and economic stresses amid ongoing growth; —new international alignments, including with China, Russia, and other G-20 nations; —rising nuclear competition with China and its impact on the global non-proliferation regime. In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, renowned strategist Ashley Tellis discusses these and other major issues at this hinge moment in history. Tellis’ new book, Grasping Greatness: Making India a Leading Power, is published by India Viking. The introduction—a brilliant, comprehensive synthesis—is available now, free-of-charge—in pdf. The Next Nationalism is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. About Ashley Tellis Ashley J. Tellis is the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, specializing in international security and U.S. foreign and defense policy with a special focus on Asia and the Indian subcontinent. While on assignment to the U.S. Department of State as senior adviser to the undersecretary of state for political affairs, he was intimately involved in negotiating the civil nuclear agreement with India. Previously he was commissioned into the U.S. Foreign Service and served as senior adviser to the ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. He also served on the National Security Council staff as special assistant to President George W. Bush and senior director for strategic planning and Southwest Asia. Prior to his government service, Tellis was senior policy analyst at the RAND Corporation and professor of policy analysis at the RAND Graduate School. He is a counselor at the National Bureau of Asian Research, the research director of its Strategic Asia program, and co-editor of the program’s seventeen most recent annual volumes, including the latest Strategic Asia 2021–22: Navigating Tumultuous Times in the Indo-Pacific. He is the author of Striking Asymmetries: Nuclear Transitions in Southern Asia (2022) and India’s Emerging Nuclear Posture (2001), the co-author of Interpreting China’s Grand Strategy: Past, Present, and Future (2000), and the co-editor of Getting India Back on Track (2014). Other significant publications include Revising U.S. Grand Strategy Toward China (2015, co-author), Balancing Without Containment: An American Strategy for Managing China (2014), Atoms for War? U.S.-Indian Civilian Nuclear Cooperation and India's Nuclear Arsenal (2006), India as a New Global Power: An Action Agenda for the United States (2005), Measuring National Power in the Post-Industrial Age (2000, co-author), and Stability in South Asia (1997). In addition to many more Carnegie and RAND reports, his academic publications have appeared in several edited volumes and peer-reviewed journals. Tellis serves as an adviser to the Chief of Naval Operations. He is a member of several professional organizations related to defense and international studies including the Council on Foreign Relations, the International Institute of Strategic Studies, the United States Naval Institute, and the Navy League of the United States. He earned his PhD in political science from the University of Chicago. He also holds an MA in political science from the University of Chicago and both BA and MA degrees in economics from the University of Bombay. Image...

Brooks Newmark is co-founder of Angels for Ukraine. He is serving on the scene, organizing the safekeeping and relocation of thousands of women and children amid the devastation unleashed by the Russian invasion that began on February 24, 2022. In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, Newmark discusses his experiences on the scene in Ukraine. He also shares the process by which he became determined to put himself in harm’s way for others in dire circumstances. One can recognize Newmark as a spiritual descendant of Oskar Schindler, Raoul Wallenberg and others who have given their all to save those who face war and genocide. Brooks Newmark is well-known and respected as a businessman, philanthropist, politician, and social reform campaigner. He was the Member of Parliament for Braintree (2005-15). He served in the Coalition Government as Minister for Civil Society, with responsibility for charities, the voluntary sector and youth (2014) having previously served on the Treasury Select Committee (2012-14 and 2006-7) and as a Government Whip and Lord Commissioner HM Treasury (2010-12). In Opposition he also served as a Whip (2007-10). The Next Nationalism is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Angels for Ukraine in the News —”How ex-Tory MP inspired by Schindler saved 15,000 Ukrainians from the Russians, Christopher Hope and Louisa Wells, The Telegraph, January 5, 2023. —”Saving Lives in Ukraine,” Gordon F. Sander, Harvard Magazine, September 13 , 2022. —”How my family’s Holocaust history led me to rescue thousands of Ukrainians,” Brooks Newmark, The Jewish Chronicle, May 12, 2022. —BBC Essex: “Former MP helps 21,000 Ukrainian refugees,” Brooks Newmark Interview with Ben Fryer. —”Brooks Newmark: Our Man in Ukraine,” Olenka Hamilton, Catholic Herald, May 18, 2022. —”Angels for Ukraine will support the country for as long as it takes,” Brooks Newmark, The House, October 22, 2022. Resources —Learn and Donate: Angels for Ukraine —BrooksNewmark.com —Twitter: @brooksnewmark —Twitter: @ukrainesangels —Facebook: Brooks Newmark —LinkedIn: Brooks Newmark Image Credits | Brooks Newmark, Facebook, Twitter. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe

Amid the uncertainty and sense of lack of leadership in American politics and government, and other sectors, there’s a burst of interest in one of our most consequential presidents: Franklin Roosevelt. In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, award-winning presidential historian and journalist Jonathan Darman discusses his highly readable and extensively researched new book, Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President. The Next Nationalism is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Critical Acclaim “With superb insight into human nature, Jonathan Darman has written a compelling and illuminating account of how a battle with a virus shaped the life of the man to whom the fate of everything would fall. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s struggles with polio steeled him for the great struggles of the Depression and of World War II, and Darman tells that story in vivid and convincing detail.” —Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship “A brilliant, fresh, and vivid book that shows us how a well-meaning and ambitious gentleman turned into the world figure who led Americans to conquer the Great Depression and fight to victory in global war . . . Jonathan Darman brings us new insights into FDR (a difficult job at this late date) at the same time as he shows us how a leader is made.” —Michael Beschloss, presidential historian“This fascinating story of how Franklin D. Roosevelt was forged by polio is a moving personal drama. More than that, it’s a valuable book for anyone who wants to know how adversity shapes character. By understanding how FDR became a deeper and more empathetic person, we can nurture those traits in ourselves and learn from the challenges we all face.” —Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of Steve Jobs and Leonardo Da Vinci“Franklin D. Roosevelt has been a strangely elusive figure to biographers, but he comes vividly to life in Jonathan Darman’s moving and insightful portrait. A gifted historian and writer, Darman has given us a parable of redemption through suffering, a sensitive portrait of a marriage, and a fascinating study of the acquisition of power. This is the gripping story of how a lightweight playboy became a great world leader.” —Evan Thomas, author of First: Sandra Day O’Connor“This moving portrait of Franklin Roosevelt’s rise to power gives us new insights on his inner life. Jonathan Darman writes with grace, ease, and a keen eye for human detail as he tells the story of FDR in his crucible years. It’s about the making of the man before the presidency, before his greatness, and what he had to do and face before he could become who he really was.” —Peggy Noonan, columnist for The Wall Street Journal“At a time when suffering and resilience have taken on new meaning for us all, Jonathan Darman offers us a compelling and compassionate portrait of a man who did extraordinary things because he came to understand both.” —Drew Gilpin Faust, bestselling author of This Republic of Suffering About the Author Jonathan Darman is a journalist and historian who writes about American politics and the presidency. He is the author of Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis that Made a President. His book Landslide: Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan at the Dawn of a New America told the story of a thousand transformative days in the 1960s through the eyes of two iconic American presidents. As a former national political correspondent for Newsweek, Jonathan covered the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and Mitt Romney and wrote extensively about other major figures in national politics and media. He covered the 2004 presidential campaign for the magazine’s special election project, which garnered the National Magazine Award for Single Topic Issue. Jonathan has also appeared frequently as a commentator on politics and presidential history on...

In this episode of the Serve to Lead podcast, renowned theoretical physicist Steven Koonin discusses his views on the state of the climate and alternative policy responses. He also shares thoughts about his ideals as an educator; his admiration for Richard Feynman; and examples of where he’s changed his mind on significant matters in recent years. Koonin brings a unique set of relevant, hands-on experiences to the complex and contentious public discusssion relating to climate disruption. He is a professor in the Department of Civil and Urban Engineering at NYU's Tandon School of Engineering. He previously was provost of the California Institute of Technology. From 2004 to 2009, Koonin served as Chief Scientist at BP, the energy giant transitioning from its roots as British Petroleum to “Beyond Petroleum.” He was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the US Senate to the post of Under Secretary for Science, U.S. Department of Energy, holding office from 2009-11. Steven Koonin is the author of the best-selling book, Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters. Among the many plaudits for the book, Vaclav Smil, distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, declared: We have too many global warming books—but this one is needed. Steven Koonin has the credentials, expertise, and experience to ask the right questions and to give realistic answers. The Next Nationalism is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Additional Resources —Steven Koonin Medium Page, including presentations, interviews, and responses to critics. —Recent Debate [90 minutes; final 5 minutes recommended as concise summary of key matters in contention]: —American Enterprise Institute podcast interview of Koonin on Climate Science and Extreme Weather. The Serve to Lead podcast is now on Substack. It can be accessed in the usual formats, including: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Audible | Amazon Music | Google Podcasts | iHeart | Spotify | Stitcher | Podchaser | TuneIn Image credit | US Dept of Energy, Public Domain via Wikipedia. Get full access to The New Nationalist at jamesstrock.substack.com/subscribe