Scan barcode
mattrohn's review against another edition
5.0
It's really easy to overfit new historical lessons to the present but this is a really great read for the current political environment
janey's review against another edition
5.0
This was written in such an engaging, interesting voice, holding many details and yet never sinking into minutiae that muddies the narrative, that I was completely absorbed.
The last two pages are so depressing, though. He sums up the political lessons of the 60s-70s and, even absent the Southern Strategy, which is only one example of a much greater whole, and even taking into account that this book was first published in 2008, it seems like a clear precursor of where we are today. He doesn't predict Trump, but he describes the deep divide in the body politic, saying:
The last two pages are so depressing, though. He sums up the political lessons of the 60s-70s and, even absent the Southern Strategy, which is only one example of a much greater whole, and even taking into account that this book was first published in 2008, it seems like a clear precursor of where we are today. He doesn't predict Trump, but he describes the deep divide in the body politic, saying:
In this book I have written of the rise of two American identities, two groups of Americans, staring at each other from behind a common divide, each equally convinced of its own righteousness, each equally convinced the other group was defined by its evil.... I have written of the rise... of a nation that had believed itself to be at consensus instead becoming one of incommensurate visions of apocalypse: two loosely defined congeries of Americans, each convinced that should the other triumph, everything decent and true and worth preserving would end.
jasond's review against another edition
4.0
There's so much here, I don't know where to start. Picking up after the 1964 election, Perlstein demonstrated Nixon's ability to exploit the backlash against the 1960s is traced through the 1966, 1968, 1970, and 1972 elections.
conordugan's review against another edition
4.0
Good not great. Fascinating history and the parallels with today are eerie.
petezilla's review against another edition
5.0
A book every American needs to read. Nixonland not only explains the rise of Nixon but also the success of Trump. What you will learn in this book is that this has all happened before, is happening now, and will happen again.
“What one side saw as liberation the other side saw as apocalypse. With the other saw as apocalypse the first saw is liberation. Nixonland. “
“People in the community have stopped talking to each other.”
“I have dedicated this book to these Americans killed by other Americans for reasons of ideology.”
“What one side saw as liberation the other side saw as apocalypse. With the other saw as apocalypse the first saw is liberation. Nixonland. “
“People in the community have stopped talking to each other.”
“I have dedicated this book to these Americans killed by other Americans for reasons of ideology.”
norahwoodsey's review against another edition
3.0
I have a degree in history. I love nonfiction. However, I don't think I'm the intended audience for this book. I found it to be unnecessarily detailed on some subjects and insufficient in others.
Example: I don't care about Jane Fonda. I do not understand why she warrants more than one mention, yet her and her antiwar activities were mentioned several times. It's a shame, because I would have enjoyed a different edit of this book.
Example: I don't care about Jane Fonda. I do not understand why she warrants more than one mention, yet her and her antiwar activities were mentioned several times. It's a shame, because I would have enjoyed a different edit of this book.
joshtweeterson's review against another edition
5.0
This was a tough book to read. I started it the week of George Floyd’s murder and as I read about events of the 60s, the book was no longer an escape from the news. Which made an already long book a little longer, because I just couldn’t do it at times.
But I’m happy I kept at it. Incredible research. I learned so much that I didn’t know and things I did know were given so much more depth than I had ever experienced.
The parallels to today are insane at times. I have so many things highlighted on my Kindle. I don’t think I’ll ever reread the entire book, but I know I’ll go back and check out passages and events more than once.
“How did Nixonland end? It has not ended yet.”
9.5/10
But I’m happy I kept at it. Incredible research. I learned so much that I didn’t know and things I did know were given so much more depth than I had ever experienced.
The parallels to today are insane at times. I have so many things highlighted on my Kindle. I don’t think I’ll ever reread the entire book, but I know I’ll go back and check out passages and events more than once.
“How did Nixonland end? It has not ended yet.”
9.5/10
apattonbooks's review against another edition
5.0
The quote on the cover of the book calls it one of the best history books about the 60's. I have to say that this ranks up there with some of the best history books I have read- period. Far more than the story of Nixon, this book does a phenomenal job of showing what was happening in America at the time and shows sides to the story that I had no visibility to before.
northeastbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Given the present day situation in the US, many are starting to look back, with some fondness, to the 60's. One hears of critics speaking of the 1960's as one of the golden ages of film, music, etc. However, this is not true in the daily civic life. Rick Perlstein has managed to capture some of the rage and anger of the period. This is the age of the civil rights movement, the start of the feminist movement and the student protest over the war in Vietnam. Into this maelstrom comes Richard Nixon. Nixon is not only a problem, we also see the rise of young staffers and individuals who, for better or worse, effect the course of American History in the early 21st century. This is a well written book that gives understanding to what happened and how those events are still with us today.