L'Enfant terrible, 1883-1926: Innovation and economics -- Prologue: Who he was and what he did -- Leaving home -- Shaping his character -- Learning economics -- Moving out -- Career takeoff -- War and politics -- Gran Rifiuto -- Annie -- Heartbreak -- The adult, 1926-1939: Capitalism and society...

"In 1776 the United States government started out on a shoestring and quickly went bankrupt fighting its War of Independence against Britain. At the war's end, the national government owed tremendous sums to foreign creditors and its own citizens. But lacking the power to tax, it had no means to...