If you are interested in the history of the presidency and the office of the president, this is a good book. Obviously, since it was written in the 80s, it is not current, but an American history buff or someone interested in politics over the past few decades may find it very interesting. One can compare and contrast ideas of the government's executive branch then and now, and see where political thought has gone over the past twenty-five years.
From the back:
"Godfrey Hodgson argues that the institution of the presidency no longer works; that the presidents of the last two decades have found it increasingly difficult to operate in that office, and that real reofrm is needed to enable the president to govern effectively. Godfrey Hodgson traces the development of the modern presidency from its beginnings with Franklin D. Roosevelt through the recent election of Ronald Reagan and shows, president by president, crisis by crisis, how the increasing isolation of the office, the maze of bureaucracies, the breakdown of the political parties and the influence of mass media have contributed to the deteriorating effectiveness of the presidency. And he discusses proposals for reform: altering the way the president is chosen, the length of the presidents service, the questions of whether or not the powers and burdens of the presidency can be shared, and whether the bureaucracy should be changed, the executive's relationship with Congress redefinied, the Cabinet strengthened, and the party restored. All Things to All Men examines the role and substance of that political office which dominates the attention of all Americans, analyzes it in a way that will change our thinking about the presidency, and points to new directions toward restoring its effectiveness."
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From the back:
"Godfrey Hodgson argues that the institution of the presidency no longer works; that the presidents of the last two decades have found it increasingly difficult to operate in that office, and that real reofrm is needed to enable the president to govern effectively. Godfrey Hodgson traces the development of the modern presidency from its beginnings with Franklin D. Roosevelt through the recent election of Ronald Reagan and shows, president by president, crisis by crisis, how the increasing isolation of the office, the maze of bureaucracies, the breakdown of the political parties and the influence of mass media have contributed to the deteriorating effectiveness of the presidency. And he discusses proposals for reform: altering the way the president is chosen, the length of the presidents service, the questions of whether or not the powers and burdens of the presidency can be shared, and whether the bureaucracy should be changed, the executive's relationship with Congress redefinied, the Cabinet strengthened, and the party restored. All Things to All Men examines the role and substance of that political office which dominates the attention of all Americans, analyzes it in a way that will change our thinking about the presidency, and points to new directions toward restoring its effectiveness."
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