The World Bank has been in business for more than fifty years. Starting from an original - and still relevant - goal of helping reconstruct war-torn economies, it has enlarged its mission to meet the changing needs of developing countries and the challenges of the post-cold war world. Now the World Bank's historian, Jochen Kraske, draws on the Bank's archives and other sources to tell the story of the Bank's first seven presidents and how their personalities, outlook, and managerial styles have affected the institution.