Long before he became France's president, Nicolas Sarkozy made headlines as much for his private life as for his political policies. Drawing on numerous quotes and anecdotes, Abrams deftly explores both the personal and public spheres of this "most untraditional politician." Abrams' discussion of Sarkozy's family roots sometimes feels too detailed for the target audience, especially when he is only reporting speculations, as in passages about Sarkozy's former father-in-law's cultural background. But the family stories lead into broader discussions of European history, which put both Sarkozy's life, and his presidency, into context. The many excerpts from Sarkozy's autobiography blend well with quotes from his staff and the press, and Abrams writes with colorful, humanizing detail (descriptions of Sarkozy as a bell-bottom-clad student with right-wing interests, for example). Frank about Sarkozy's extramarital affairs and the public criticism he has inspired, this is a probing, evenhanded entry in the Modern World Leaders series. First Lady Carla Bruni is strangely absent from the otherwise well-chosen photos. A chronology, a bibliography, and suggestions for further reading conclude.