Born into a family of tremendous wealth and power, FDR was stricken with polio at age 39 yet went on to lead the nation through two of its greatest challenges, the Great Depression and World War II. Allan Winkler looks at Franklin D. Roosevelt's achievements and failures and immerses readers in the personal and political sides of one of the twentieth century's most important figures. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Making of Modern America places FDR solidly in the context of twentieth-century American reform, liberalism and the birth of the welfare state. Taking a close look at The New Deal, World War II and emerging technology, Winkler shows how FDR's actions and ideas significantly influenced the course of American history and national life.