The Age of Reagan: A History, 1974-2008
by: Sean Wilentz
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The past thirty-five years have marked an era of conservatism. Although briefly interrupted in the late 1970s and temporarily reversed in the 1990s, a powerful surge from the right has dominated American politics and government. In The Age of Reagan, Sean Wilentz accounts for how a conservative movement once deemed marginal managed to seize power and hold it, and the momentous consequences that followed.
Ronald Reagan has been the single most important political figure of this age. Without Reagan, the conservative movement would have never been as successful as it was. In his political persona as well as his policies, Reagan embodied a new fusion of deeply right-leaning politics with some of the rhetoric and even a bit of the spirit of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal and John F. Kennedy's New Frontier. In American political history there have been a few leading figures who, for better or worse, have placed their political stamp indelibly on their times. They include Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt—and Ronald Reagan. A conservative hero in a conservative age, Reagan has been so admired by a minority of historians and so disliked by the others that it has been difficult to evaluate his administration with detachment. Drawing on numerous primary documents that have been neglected or only recently released to the public, as well as on emerging historical work, Wilentz offers invaluable revelations about conservatism's ascendancy and the era in which Reagan was the preeminent political figure.
Vivid, authoritative, and illuminating from start to finish, The Age of Reagan raises profound questions and opens passionate debate about our nation's recent past.
One of the nation's leading historians offers a groundbreaking and provocative chronicle of America's political history since the fall of Nixon.
The past thirty-five years have marked an era of conservatism. Although briefly interrupted in the late 1970s and temporarily reversed in the 1990s, a powerful surge from the right has dominated American politics and government. In The Age of Reagan, Sean Wilentz accounts for how a conservative movement once deemed marginal managed to seize power and hold it, and the momentous consequences that followed.
Ronald Reagan has been the single most important political figure of this age. Without Reagan, the conservative movement would have never been as successful as it was. In his political persona as well as his policies, Reagan embodied a new fusion of deeply right-leaning politics with some of the rhetoric and even a bit of the spirit of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal and John F. Kennedy's New Frontier. In American political history there have been a few leading figures who, for better or worse, have placed their political stamp indelibly on their times. They include Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt—and Ronald Reagan. A conservative hero in a conservative age, Reagan has been so admired by a minority of historians and so disliked by the others that it has been difficult to evaluate his administration with detachment. Drawing on numerous primary documents that have been neglected or only recently released to the public, as well as on emerging historical work, Wilentz offers invaluable revelations about conservatism's ascendancy and the era in which Reagan was the preeminent political figure.
Vivid, authoritative, and illuminating from start to finish, The Age of Reagan raises profound questions and opens passionate debate about our nation's recent past.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- The Thirty Years War(p)
Nothing in Sean Wilentz's history of American politics from 1974 to 2008 took me by surprise, except perhaps the author's willingness to give Ronald Reagan the recognition due for his political savvy and charisma. Most Reagan denigrators -- and I admit that I have been one -- have regarded him as a hyped-up Howdy Doody, a useful front for 'conservative' kingmakers. Wilentz actually credits Reagan with being his own man, the master of his own White House, and furthermore with being more flexible and ... Read More
Rating: 
- In-Depth Politics
The theme--a broadly "liberal" domination 1930s-1960s, then an increasingly conservative domination 1970s -2008, culminating in the neo-conservative domination 2000-2008--I have read elsewhere.This book provided even deeper analysis of many of the particular events.I was especially intrigued by the deeper insights offered into the machinations behind the attempt to drive Clinton from office and likewise the deeper insights into the Bush-Gore 2000 election drama.It is astonishing to think how much might ... Read More
Rating: - A few people need to actually read this book
It might have helped if a few of the attack-dog reviewers who savaged Wilentz's book had actually read it.I did, and I found it remarkably balanced, considering the author is a well-known liberal (not a "self-avowed Marxist", as some fire-breathing, immature reviewer put it).For those who claim he exalts Carter and Clinton, well, I'd recommend cracking the spine and trying to read the words.In Wilentz's view, Carter was hapless and even something of a hypocrite, and he makes no attempt to hide ... Read More
Rating: - An excellent overview from the liberal point of view
If you are a conservative Republican you are going to hate this book; if you are a liberal Democrat, you are probably going to love it.However, the author competently summarizes American History since 1974 without getting the reader bogged down in details.Moreover, I think a reader should welcome Wilentz's evaluation of the events described, rather than be satisfied with a sterile "objective" recitation of facts.
The most interesting part of the book is Wilentz's account of Reagan's decision ... Read More
Rating: 
- A seriously biased look at the the Conservative movement
I first must state that I consider myself a political moderate. The author freely admits he is a partisan Democrat who helped Albert Gore in Florida in 2000. While Wilentz insists he can be balanced in his writing the truth is this is a seriously biased piece of work. Almost everything done by Republican leaders the past thirty-four years is portrayed negatively. The phrase "damning with faint praise" also frequently comes to mind when reading this book. Conservatives will hate this book while moderates like ... Read More
- The Thirty Years War(p)Nothing in Sean Wilentz's history of American politics from 1974 to 2008 took me by surprise, except perhaps the author's willingness to give Ronald Reagan the recognition due for his political savvy and charisma. Most Reagan denigrators -- and I admit that I have been one -- have regarded him as a hyped-up Howdy Doody, a useful front for 'conservative' kingmakers. Wilentz actually credits Reagan with being his own man, the master of his own White House, and furthermore with being more flexible and ... Read More
- In-Depth PoliticsThe theme--a broadly "liberal" domination 1930s-1960s, then an increasingly conservative domination 1970s -2008, culminating in the neo-conservative domination 2000-2008--I have read elsewhere.This book provided even deeper analysis of many of the particular events.I was especially intrigued by the deeper insights offered into the machinations behind the attempt to drive Clinton from office and likewise the deeper insights into the Bush-Gore 2000 election drama.It is astonishing to think how much might ... Read More
- A few people need to actually read this bookIt might have helped if a few of the attack-dog reviewers who savaged Wilentz's book had actually read it.I did, and I found it remarkably balanced, considering the author is a well-known liberal (not a "self-avowed Marxist", as some fire-breathing, immature reviewer put it).For those who claim he exalts Carter and Clinton, well, I'd recommend cracking the spine and trying to read the words.In Wilentz's view, Carter was hapless and even something of a hypocrite, and he makes no attempt to hide ... Read More
- An excellent overview from the liberal point of viewIf you are a conservative Republican you are going to hate this book; if you are a liberal Democrat, you are probably going to love it.However, the author competently summarizes American History since 1974 without getting the reader bogged down in details.Moreover, I think a reader should welcome Wilentz's evaluation of the events described, rather than be satisfied with a sterile "objective" recitation of facts.
The most interesting part of the book is Wilentz's account of Reagan's decision ... Read More
- A seriously biased look at the the Conservative movementI first must state that I consider myself a political moderate. The author freely admits he is a partisan Democrat who helped Albert Gore in Florida in 2000. While Wilentz insists he can be balanced in his writing the truth is this is a seriously biased piece of work. Almost everything done by Republican leaders the past thirty-four years is portrayed negatively. The phrase "damning with faint praise" also frequently comes to mind when reading this book. Conservatives will hate this book while moderates like ... Read More
