Over the course of nearly half a century, five American presidents, and leaders around the world, have relied on the financial acumen, and the integrity, of Paul A. Volcker to help steer the global economy through turmoil and drastic change. From the collapse of the gold standard to the inflation crisis of the 1970s, Volcker demonstrated that a determined central banker can prevail over economic turmoil--so long as he can resist relentless political pressure. And as the U.S. struggled to recover from the meltdown of 2008, it called once more on the veteran banker to restore trust to the financial markets with the Volcker Rule. This award-winning biography is the definitive account of Paul Volcker's indispensable role in economic history.