Liberalism and Its Challengers: From F.D.R. to Bush [Paperback]

Alonzo Hamby (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 1992 | ISBN-10: 0195070305 | ISBN-13: 978-0195070309 | Edition: 2

Now brought up to date to cover the Reagan and Bush administrations, the second edition of this classic text plots the rise, fall and continuing evolution of the liberal tradition in America since the Depression. Focusing on ten key individuals, from Franklin Roosevelt to Martin Luther King, Jr. to Ronald Reagan, "The Roosevelt of the Right," Hamby employs lively biographical essays to illuminate the ideological bases of American liberalism and conservatism. An essential tool towards understanding for students of American history and politics.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A very useful survey of recent political history. I have used the first edition for several years and am glad to see it brought up to date. It has been particularly useful for my adult students who are survivors of this period."--William F. McKee, Eckerd College

"Excellent interpretive analysis of post-World War II United States politics."--Dennis Mihelich, Creighton University

"Well-done! Covers the last half century nicely."--David Robinson, University of Houston, Downtown

"Useful, pertinent study...as American liberalism and conservatism seek to redefine themselves with changed circumstances at home and abroad."--Robert Hamburg, Indiana University, South Bend

"Richly informative and lucid. A very needed clarification of key people in America's political drama."--George K. Bluh, Greenfield Community College

"One of the best political analyses in recent American history."--J. Christopher Schneil, Southwest Missouri State

"Probably the best synthesis we have of recent American political history....No one has used Richard Hofstadter's model more successfully."--Jeff Broadwater, Mississippi State University

"Hamby has nicely updated this fine and most useful book to include the Bush administration and national attitude....Hamby has a way of getting at the complexities of liberalism and those forces which challenge it without getting lost in the details."--Gerald Michael Schnabel, Bemidji State University

"Best account available on American political thought since 1933. Hamby's analysis is authoritative and balanced....Sure to inspire much discussion in class. Brightly written, compact in length...a superb teaching tool."--Daniel P. Murphy, Hanover College

"Hamby shows the pragmatic side of liberal policy formulation from FDR to Bush. This realpolitik side of liberalism brings the political process down to the practical world. The author also shares with readers diverse historical interpretations in an informative, readable fashion."--John L. Rector, Western Oregon State College

About the Author

Alonzo Hamby is at Ohio University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (March 12, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195070305
• ISBN-13: 978-0195070309
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,635 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A fair minded explaination, January 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Liberalism and Its Challengers: From F.D.R. to Bush (Paperback)

I found this book to be a fair minded explaination of how liberalism moved onto the center stage of American thinking in the '30s and still holds sway with a large but shrinking population in the '90s.

The use of biography shows the reader that there really is no vast left wing conspiracy out to turn the US into a nanny state. There are only individual people who have idea about how to solve problems. Sometimes those ideas are good, other times they are not so good.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Work, July 31, 2011

By 

Roy Williams (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Liberalism and Its Challengers: From F.D.R. to Bush (Paperback)

I last read Alonzo Hamby's work when I was an undergrad in the late 1970's. I find him more compelling a generation later given what is going on in the nation now. What I am trying to understand is the roll of Robert Taft as a progenator of the "right" wing. So little of serious, critical and insightful nature exists about Taft and his times. That said, Hamby's work has the sure-feel of insight. He paints the larger picture from the 1930's to the early 1990's. That makes this book important.

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Balanced Look at Recent American History, January 30, 2000

By 

Shogun Len "tokieyasu" (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Liberalism and Its Challengers: From F.D.R. to Bush (Paperback)

Liberalism and its challengers is a thorough and balanced look at recent American History. Dr. Hamby goes through many of the recent Presidencies giving an open minded and fair evaluation of recent American History. Not clouded by the misinformation of the revionist historians movement this book is very fair. A good and informative read.