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The Glory and the Dream: A Narrative History of America, 1932-1972

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William Manchester bookends this sprawling, epic US history with two protests in the heart of Washington. He opens in 1930 at the rise of the Great Depression, with veterans across from the White House coldly shunned by President Herbert Hoover when asking for advance relief from the Great Depression, then brutally attacked by troops and national guardsmen led by Douglas MacArthur. He concludes with President Richard Nixon's second inaugural in 1973 at Watergate's rising, Vietnam demonstrators audible blocks away amidst calls for national unity and self-reliance.

In between, across 1300 pages, (excluding index and exhaustive bibliography) "The Glory and the Dream" chronicles the American Century's meatiest, most eventful years (1932-72). Manchester details a diary for and about what he called the "swing generation" but whom ex-NBC-TV anchorman Tom Brokaw (who cited Manchester as an influence) christened "the Greatest Generation."

These men and women endured and thrived through what, against Manchester's narrative, seemed (except for the relatively tranquil late 1950s) a non-stop whirlwind of hardship. Painting in broad strokes by economic numbers Manchester reveals compelling pictures of the Depression, bank and crop failures, Franklin Roosevelt's election and the New Deal, World War II, and the Korean and Cold Wars. He also includes near month by month chronicles and analysis on America's roots and involvement in the Vietnam War and Watergate, which takes up most of the book's final third. And of course, he addresses the still-shocking days of rage, murder, and decaying social fabric in the late 1960s.

Manchester's storytelling is expertly paced, foreshadowing careers of 20th century icons like Nixon, JFK, Marilyn Monroe and even the Edsel. He traces their steps to the national stage and devotes personal "Portrait of An American" sections to many (including Dr. Benjamin Spock, Edward R Murrow, and Ralph Nader). He does this deftly balancing international, social, and economic views of day to day life, worked, and socialized, even addressing political and social extremists (50s beatniks, 60s hippies, John Birchers). Isolationist vs. internationalist foreign policy views, themes as recent as last month's Iraq election, pops up throughout the book; virulent opposition to FDR's war mobilization leads to the opposition to the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan. Vietnam's civil war slowly creeps across several administrations beginning with Dwight Eisenhower's, reaching the heart of American experience as the decade and book close.

Anyone knowing or having lived through part of the last half-century can reference America's seismic events at a high level. To Manchester's credit he reached deeper into the causes behind pop culture and historical touchstones like Nixon's "Checkers" speech, 1968's Vietnam My Lai massacre, the oft-overlooked 1936 hurricane crushing New England (and ineffective warnings against it), and Japan's 1937 sinking of the USS Panay which foreshadowed Pearl Harbor. He draws dimensional character studies amidst the era's scandals (the fall of Eisenhower right hand man Sherman Adams as one example). He allows you to understand personalities and issues behind history's strongest feuds: President Harry Truman against union leader John Lewis (or MacArthur, or Joseph McCarthy...), between Southern governors and other leadership against Dr. Martin Luther King, the Freedom Riders, the Kennedy administration, and finally against the Black Panthers' vicious 1960s anarchy. Finally, he chronicles the "silent majority" generation gap between Nixon/Agnew's divisive, reactionary leadership team and a generation's angry youth.

Before his death last year, Manchester wrote whole volumes on major figures included here (Winston Churchill, MacArthur, JFK). But given the relatively short time each is presented (except for FDR, who dominates the book's first half ), Manchester masterfully retells individual personal style, social time, major accomplishments, blunders, and closure to their lives and histories. "The Glory and the Dream" is filled with protests after violent counter protests (which Manchester respects even when he does not agree), well-drawn, memorable characters more remarkable for being real life characters, and insightful side comments on issues like the role of the vice-presidency and American tolerance of dissent.

At its publication, Manchester himself called "The Glory and the Dream" the culmination of his career, and for once it was not hyperbole. Anyone wishing to understand American character must start here; "The Glory and the Dream" is the finest history-based book I've ever read, and one of the finest in any genre.
Absolutely essential.

Anyone fortunate enough to read the first few chapters of this terrific work by William Manchester will no longer wonder why he is considered one of the finest historians writing about the 20th century. From the opening description of the tensions in Washington in the early 1930s with the conflict over the so-called "bonus marchers" to the ending essay on the removal of Richard Nixon from the Presidency in disgrace in 1974, there simply isn't a dull page in the book. As for anyone who hasn't experienced this author and his superb prose style, there is no time to waste!

This truly is a masterful and magisterial historical narrative of the period of time from the onset of the Depression to the climax of the Watergate scandal; all the color and detail one would want from a work purporting to cover such a momentous time span in our recent national melodrama is here in spades. His prose style is at once both erudite and immensely readable, and he always seems conversational even when discussing matters that are delicate or controversial. Whether discussing the momentous details of FDR's "New Deal", the daring and cunning of the Japanese in carrying out the attack on Pearl Harbor, the sad and sorrowful political potshots taken by scurrilous swine like Joe McCarthy during the House Un-American Activities Committee or the quizzically vengeful approach taken by insiders during the Nixon years, Manchester consistently steers us knowingly and safely through the rocks and shoals of domestic history, avoiding veering into the controversial reefs and coral that can rip us to shreds with partisan political revisionism and politically-correct views.

As he does in other books such as "American Caesar" and "The Death Of A President", Manchester always satisfies the reader's curiosity without being salacious, gossipy, or unfair. He takes great pains to be objective and as thorough as possible, and the sources he cites are always impeccable. If I have any criticism of the book at all, it relates to its long length, as I read the two-volume hard cover version a friend gave me as a birthday present. It is really a small quibble, however, for though it was along read I came away from the several week reading adventure feeling much better informed, and with a much better perspective on many of the troubling issues that have transpired in the fabled years since the Depression. I heartily recommend this book, but advise you to find yourself a comfortable armchair to escape to with book in hand. You are going to want to devour it. Enjoy!

As a history teacher and historian who has read and previewed hundreds of history titles, I can say without resevation that "The Glory and the Dream" ranks up among the top 5 history books I have ever read. Covering a span of time when America went through so much upheavel and doubt, patriotism and arrogance, Manchester weaves a tale of American life that leaves nothing out. Focusing on the four themes of history (social, political, domestic, foreign) he manages to bring together all of the personalities, events, disasters, fears, and triumphs that have made America what she is today. At over 1300 pages, it is a massive volume but one that grabs the reader from the very start with its chapters on the Great Depression and the rise of FDR. From there Manchester takes the reader on a wonderful trip through time as he covers World War II, The Cold War, Truman, Ike, the 50's, 60's, sex, music, Vietnam, art, entertainment, and everything else that went on during the 50 year time span the book covers. I was sad that the book had to end, but found myself reading it again in less than four months, reliving the journey again and finding out new things that I had missed before. If you love American history then this book is an absolute must for your library. For those who lived through the history of which Manchester writes, it will stir memories. For those too young to remember that far back, it will give you a wonderfully frank account of your nation and its 20th century heritage. Read this book, you will not be disappointed.

This is the book I recommend to people who say that they hate History as a subject. When I was reading Manchester's account in the beginning of the book about the Bonus Marchers in 1932, I could feel the heat and humidity of pre-war and un-airconditioned Washington D.C. And Manchester conveyed the suffering of these veterans and their desperation in clear and concise language. I don't think that any historian has written about the Depression in as moving and compelling a manner as he does. And this is only the begining of the book. There's more great passages in his description of the home front during WWII. He recounts forgotten stories such as the "I want to go home" riots by GI's at the end of the war in Europe.

I disagree with one earlier reviewer who thought that a weakness in the book was Manchester's alleged liberal bias. In fact, his account of the Alger Hiss affair is unabashed in showing Hiss's guilt and in highlighting Nixon's diligence in pursuing the truth.

I completely wore out the copy I bought back in 1980. I first read it in the hospital when I was recovering from elective surgery. I was so ensconsed in it that I finished it during my three day stay.

Manchester is really phenomenal, and this is an amazing example. To be able to not only hold interest, but literally nail the reader to the floor is a talent rarely held by historians. His portrait of the Depression and Roosevelt is great, including the much anticipated, and yet desperate end of FDR. Totally disagree with the other reviewer who claims that Civil Rights excuse Tonkin and Vietnam. LBJ deserves little to no credit for Civil Rights, that was the result of MLK and a large contingent in the Congress and it would have passed with or without him. Anyway, if you want to read a book that covers this period beautifully and makes you wonder how history ever got a reputation as boring, this is the one.

I was required to read this book back in high school for a history class and I remember that I was shocked to see the massive size of the book. It looked more like a dictionary. We were only required to read a few sections, but it was still intimidating. However, after a few pages you begin to get engrossed in the tale Manchester weaves. He merges the pop culture of the eras he talks about with the history making it very accessible for the average reader. It is a vibrant, energetic book that is very addictive. Even if you are not interested in history, I highly reccomend this one :) After my history class, I eventually ended up buying the book and reading it from cover to cover.

The Glory and the Dream

William Manchester's The Glory and the Dream, paints a vivid and detailed picture of America from 1932 to 1972. It begins at the height of the Great Depression, and tells of the New Deal, the events leading to America's entry into World War II, the prosperity of the late 40s and 50s, and the militancy of the 60s and early 70s. The book ends with the growing distrust of the nation surrounding the Watergate scandal. In his decription of these forty years, before and after World War II, Manchester shows how America has reveled in its glory as the most powerful nation in the world, yet continues to dream for new heights of power. The Glory and the Dream is an excellent book, because the author is able to make many of the characters and emotions of the time come to life, in his detailed and engaging style. However, I personally believe that the author treats some of major figures of the time too harshly.
Manchester is able to make his characters come to life through effective use of quotes and actions, which describe the feelings and concerns those people had. The desperation and general sadness of the Great Depression is shown in the lyrics of a song by Rudy Valee.
They used to tell me I was building a dream
And so I followed the mob.
When there was earth to plough or guns to bear
I was always there right on the job

Once I built a railroad, made it run
made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad, now it's done.
Brother, can you spare a dime?
At that same period, the shame of Americans is shown in this observation from the Governor's mansion in Albany at a time Franklin Roosevelt was still governor, "Professor Rexford Tugwell of Columbia, a house guest, was summoned to the master bedroom, where his host lay surrounded by clouds of newsprint. As Tugwell entered, Governor Roosevelt covered photographs of the violence against the Bonus Army by the American army with his hands, as though in shame for his country."
The author shows that at the same time the American people felt shame and sadness, there was also a growing sense of resolve that something should be done to alleviate the poverty that many Americans were facing. A quote full of this growing resolve and determination comes from Franklin Roosevelt address to the Democratic Convention in 1932 in which he accepts the party's nomination for President. "I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a New Deal for the American people." A quote of Franklin Roosevelt that helps to illustrate his character and the general feeling of the time come from his conversation with Tugwell. "`There is nothing inside that man but jelly,' Roosevelt said angrily. `Maybe there never was anything else. Why didn't Hoover offer the men coffee and sandwiches, instead of turning Pat Hurley and Doug MacArthur loose?" This illustrates the generosity of Roosevelt's spirit in contrast to the rudeness and inattentivenss of his opponents in the Republican party.
In its 1302 pages, this offers an in-depth portrait of America at that period. Its lively details and examples with use of many quotes, strong verbs and adjectives make you feel as if you were suffering through the Great Depression, prospering through the New Deal, fighting through World War II and reliving the Vietnam war. Unfortunately this lengthy book could intimidate some. However by splitting the reading into decades, one may avoid the frustration of reading such a dense and interminable book at once.
My one reservation lies in Manchester's condemnation of leaders I believe benefited America, even though they made some very grave mistakes. His views on President Lyndon Johnson, for his decision to escalate the Vietnam war, and for the questionable legality of the Gulf of Tongkin resolution are concerning. Lyndon Johnson did escalate the war to far, but his support of the Civil Rights Movement overshadows in my opinion his extreme hawkishness towards Vietnam. Without his support, America would be a very different repressive place towards race.
The Glory and the Dream is a work of popular history at its best as it makes history accessible to all. You can understand and enjoy this book without being a scholar or a historian. It also covers an important period of history which is still relevant to our political, economic, and cultural present. Therefore in reading this book you widen your understanding of current events.

This book is exactly what its title says: a history of American from 1932 through 1972. The book is thorough and long, and yet fluently readable. You certainly won't be aware that you're reading a book of more than a thousand pages. Manchester strikes a good balance between the major political events and the lives of ordinary Americans.

Most impressive is Manchester's political even-handedness. He regards no one as a villain or a hero (well, FDR comes close, but almost everyone who lived through those years considered FDR a hero).

Having been written in 1973, the book does show some effects of the Viet Name debacle; there is a tendency to assume a moral equivalence between the communist countries and the democracies. Nowadays only the most mindless America-haters believe that any such equivalence ever existed, but remember that in the aftermath of Viet Nam, such feelings were easy to adopt. But Manchester never loses his objectivity or his ability to take the long view. In examining the Red Scare - McCarthy era, for example, he manages to treat each individual case on its own merits, something very few writers have been able or willing to do.

Manchester's choice of topics is invariably apt: the things which seemed important at the time are the things which he treats as important. The only event which struck me as deserving of more attention than he gave it, was the Hungarian uprising of 1956.

Manchester doesn't completely understand the music of the 60's but no one over 35 (at the time) did! The book was written at a time when faith in big government solutions to all social and economic problems was taken for granted. Also, Watergate had not yet played itself out when the book was written, although he gives it plenty of attention.

But all of my reservations are minor. I don't know of any single book which is so effective in telling the reader what it was like to live in America during those 40 years, and also so effective in describing America's role and behavior in the international community during those same years, as this one. The next time you're tempted to read a self-help book by the latest anointed guru whose insights might justify a short magazine article, read this book instead. You'll walk away with a much better understanding of the world you live in, and how it got that way.

This book is a fabulous overview of the 40 years in question, capturing an America that no longer exists, but it reads very well even today. Just terrific.

Do not be daunted by the size of this book ....it reads like a dream. You find yourself moving from one chapter to another and it is no strain at all. Manchester was in top form with the history of America from the depths of the depression to watergate.

I particularly enjoyed the intertwining of social and political history. It creates a denseness to the period and you could see how the undercurrents moved from one generation to another. The hopelessness of the depression and then the blast of war that led to the conservatism of the 1950s and the protest period of the 1960s, and finally the backlash in the election of Nixon.

Manchester can write superbly and his energy never wavers. Without doubt, one of the greatest history books of this century.