George Shultz played a pivotal role in shaping economic and foreign policy in the late 20th century. He passed away two years ago at age 100 after distinguished careers in government, academia, and business. Philip Taubman, a former New York Times journalist, had access to Shultz’s papers for this revealing, comprehensive biography. Taubman makes clear we should care about Shultz not just for what he accomplished, but also for how. Shultz was, in Taubman’s words, a model of “quiet, effective leadership” and of public service characterized by “common sense, trust, a human touch, openness to new ideas and the muting of ideology, partisanship and histrionics.” But Taubman, in this deeply researched and insightful work, also details Shultz’s shortcomings, blind spots, and unflattering aspects.