In his foreword to this new edition, Robert Watson considers the central characters' Washizu and his wife Asaji's blunder in viewing life as a ruthless competition in which only the most brutal can thrive in the context of an era of ...

Watson, an enlisted man in both the army and the navy, served in Florida, South and North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Watson's storytelling prowess and expertise on the subject make this book a must-read for history enthusiasts and fiction lovers alike.

The new edition also includes a decade-and-a-half of new research on public opinion, the growth and political development of the East Wing, and the issue of first lady character.