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From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Distinguished Princeton historian Wilentz-winner of a Bancroft Prize for The Rise of American Democracy-makes an eloquent and compelling case for America's Right as the defining factor shaping the country's political history over the past 35 years. Wilentz argues that the unproductive liberalism of the Carter years was a momentary pause in a general tidal surge toward a new politics of conservatism defined largely by the philosophy and style of Ronald Reagan. Even Bill Clinton, he shows, tacitly admitted the ascendance of many Reaganesque core values in the American mind by styling himself as a centrist "New Democrat" and moving himself and his party to the right. Wilentz postulates Reagan as the perfect man at the ideal moment, not just ruling his eight years in the White House, but also casting a long shadow on all that followed (a shadow, one might add, still being felt in the Republican presidential campaign today). While examining in detail the low points of Reagan's presidency, from Iran-Contra to his initial belligerence toward the Soviet Union, Wilentz concludes in his superb account that Reagan must be considered one of the great presidents: he reshaped the geopolitical map of the world as well as the American judiciary and bureaucracy, and uplifted an American public disheartened by Vietnam and the grim Carter years. While much has been written by Reagan admirers, Wilentz says, "his achievement looks much more substantial than anything the Reagan mythmakers have said in his honor." 16 pages of b&w photos. (May)
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About the Author

Sean Wilentz is the author of The Rise of American Democracy, which won the Bancroft Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Wilentz teaches American history at Princeton University. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Customer Reviews

Unbecoming
The book read like a[...] webpage. It was completely unbecoming a historian of Wilentz ability. His opinions are fine. That is what he is paid to do. However, he takes cheap shots and makes unprofessional sarcastic comments throughout and even supports some weird left wing propaganda. For example, Jimmy Carter planned the Soviet Union's disaster in Afghanistan and there was a vast Right Wing conspiracy out to get Bill Clinton. When it comes to the Right, he talks about continued criminality (even when it did not exist while excusing Democratic criminality even when it did exist) and ignores most accomplishments. When there is an accomplishment, he gives grudging credit and tries to belittle it as much as possible.

His word usage is hyper partisan. For example, people in favor of welfare reform were racists, Republicans used propaganda, tax cuts are regressive, and the like. On the other hand, he does not use these terms with regards to Democratic policies.

As far as the history of the period as a whole, he frantically tries to change reality. It's hard to tell if Wilentz actually believes what he writes or if he is just in an ivy covered Bizarro World. A lot of his conclusions are easily parried with a little common sense and a lot of research. (Although Wilentz would consider you a "propagandist.")

If you are on the left, this book is for you. If you are on the right, it is instructive to read as Wilentz gives a left wing perspective. Although, if you are on the right, try not to get too angry while reading it. Wilentz is on the Far Left and can't help himself. If you are in the middle, the language and tone might turn you off. It probably is not worth the time for a non-partisan to read. In the end, it is NOT history, but a hit piece.

Could have been better
Sean Wilentz is a famous historian who wrote an excellent book, The Rise of American Democracy, a few years ago. This book is not as good. Wilentz's liberal biases doom a potentially terrific book. He seems incapable of praising Ronald Reagan without qualifying his praise with a cut-down. (By no means am I a fan of Reagan, incidentally). I believe a historian should be more able to evaluate history free of bias, and I can give The Age of Reagan only three stars.

Read Carefully -- And Remove the Adjectives
The thrust of author's Wilentz's polemic is that Reagan's Presidency and brand of conservativatism defined the Republican Party and underscored the political events in the US to the current day (2008.) Yes, I know the book starts the Age at 1974, long before Reagan went to the oval office, but Reagan's movement had already started by that time. Somehow most of the reviewers and commenters on the reviews missed that thrust, preferring to concentrate only on Reagan's Presidency.

The author's analysis concludes that Reagan was more important and better than generally thought (in the far-left academic circles in which the author moves), an amazing admission by a person of Wilentz's political stance. On this point at least, this book supports that contention and one must (somewhat critically) take the author at his word. The contention of Reagan's importance is also valid and worthy of consideration in attempting to understand the developments in both the Democrat and Republican parties.

The good in this book is that the thread of history is followed through the events of this period in a concise and very readable manner. He does a good job covering the events although the degree of coverage on specific events might be more or less than what the reader would like. If a reader wants a reference on events, this book is satisfactory, but one must overlook the adjectives and the sweeping statements unsupported by evidence.

The book is also instructive with regard to how far towards the left the academic world has moved, particularly since World War II, and that FDR would be center-right today in its viewpoint. For an exponent illustrating this phenomenon, read N. Ravitch's review and his many comments blasting conservatives. That's why this book is worthy of a careful read and close study. There is much to learn here with regard to how one makes back-handed comments and uses ennobling adjectives for those on the author's side and pejorative characterizations for those on the other. In short, Wilentz descends into propaganda, making short comments that are accurate, but then burying those statements with pages of polemic that lead the reader to conclude otherwise. Supporters of the author can point to those statements to refute the notion of bias, but then overlook the 500 pound gorilla in the living room. No wonder Eric Foner praised this book and that Wilentz was in the running for an ultra-far-left Pulitizer Prize.

The author also makes many absolute errors of fact in addition to his ubiquitous use of defining adjectives bolstering his far-left polemic. For example he gives Paul Volcker, (Bilderberg, CFR and Trilateral Commission member) credit for restoring the economy in Reagan's early years, when it was Volcker who had given the US the "misery index" of double-digit inflation and unemployment. That's like giving Barney Frank credit for fighting the current mortgage mess when he was a prime contributor in bringing it about. Alas, the usual suspects are back since Obama has named Volcker to head up his economic advisory group. One should remember that it was Volcker who said Americans needed to lower their living standard and come more into line with the world's average. Hardly a friend of the middle class.

All in all, this book is actually important -- not for its scholarship (it follows the current trend of extensive end notes and listing of sources, whether the author has read them of not) or content, but for how the author presents his material in a supposedly unbiased manner yet clearly moves the reader into believing the underlying far-left ideology espoused (from this one can also more readily discern the pervasive leftist bias in the American media.) For the generations of Americans who have been brought up learning history. political science and civics from textbooks written by the likes of Howard Zinn or Eric Foner, the bias will be unperceived and the propaganda swallowed whole. Conservatives need to study this book -- not throw it away. It's a prime example of how the country is being driven to the left.

It's worth the price of this book to learn how and why the country is moving so rapidly to the left. Unfortunately, the author will receive financial benefit from such sales and be further reinforced in the idea that he is on the correct course. From my viewpoint, he's going the wrong direction, and I fear there are too many like him who are already past redemption.