America's Political Dynasties [Paperback]

Stephen Hess (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1997

"America's Political Dynasties is a unique and valuable contribution to the study of American political history."

--Wisconsin Bookwatch

Editorial Reviews

Review

One of the phenomena of American politics has been the creation of a political nobility, political leadership with respect to certain families, America's version of political dynasties. Stephen Hess presents a panorama of America's political dynasties from colonial days to the present in fascinating profiles of sixteen leading families. Some have shown remarkable staying power (the Roosevelts) while others have been all but forgotten (the Washburns). America's Political Dynasties investigates the roles of these families in shaping the nation and traces the whole pattern of political inheritance, which has been a little considered but unique and significant feature of American government and diplomacy. And in doing so, it also illuminates the lives and personalities of some two hundred often engaging, usually ambitious, sometimes brilliant, occasionally unscrupulous individuals. America's Political Dynasties is a unique and valuable contribution to the study of American political history. -- Midwest Book Review

About the Author

Stephen Hess is senior fellow emeritus at the Brookings Institution. He worked on the staff of Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon, as well as an advisor to Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. He is the author of America’s Political Dynasties, Organiing the Presidency and numerous other publications on journalism and politics.

 

Product Details

• Paperback: 742 pages
• Publisher: Transaction Publishers (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156000911X
• ISBN-13: 978-1560009115
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,945,351 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional addition to historical research, October 19, 2004

By 

Joan Wicker "Jwicker" (Grand Rapids, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: America's Political Dynasties (Paperback)

I found this book to be so engrossing that I got very little done other than reading it until it was finished. Mr. Hess is a talented writer and adds enough details about life in the period about which he wrote to make the book more interesting. I think if someone did not like this book, then perhaps the subject matter is not for that person and their opinion should not detract from the quality of Mr. Hess's writing.

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding History Predict the Future..., October 28, 2011

By 

Sir Lancelot (Canada) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: America's political dynasties (Hardcover)

Stephen Hess is undoubtedly well qualified and competent writer as well one who is schooled in the social and political life of his time. The work thoroughly documents the life, beliefs and times of the various political dynasty families since Adams to Kennedy. Hess is a true scholar that takes painstaking time to document the 17 families that made America what it is today. Some families have "died out" from the Political passion of their elders while others remain with us, and in some cases tragically, to this very day.
What is very interesting is the realities of the past that get contorted to pass off political schema/agenda today either by white washing historical fact or contorting it to match with "politically correct" "education". Subjects like the Anglo-American relationship that had existed ever since the first Europeans came to America. Dr. Carrol Quigley, Bill Cinton's mentor, identifies the on-going historical connections between the two within his book "Tragedy & Hope" and "The Anglo-American Establishment".
What Stephen Hess does here is thoroughly documents the founders of America as a Constitutional Republic and the great pain staking detailed investigations into their various histories, fortunes, achievements and intermarriages to form an actual "elite" or Ruling Class that was supposed to be ridden from with the foundation of the Constitutional Republic.
Perhaps when one reads Quigley's works, the works by Antony Sutton, "The Naked Capitalist" by Skousen, the Reece Committee investigations by Rene Wormser one thoroughly understands the immense, and continued, power held by these fortunate few - interwoven - relations to this day.
With the continual depressing news and witnessing the entire West collapse and decay; legally, socially, culturally, morally, religiously, economically and politically, it is ok to have an opinion however an informed opinion is much more worthy...
Happy Reading.