The Cycles of American History

A Pulitzer Prize-winning historian discusses the Cold War, political parties, the presidency, and many broader philosophical issues [with] incisive wit (Library Journal). A celebrated historian, speechwriter, and adviser to President Kennedy, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. draws on decades of astute observation to construct a dialectic of American politics, or as Time magazine called it, a recurring struggle between pragmatism and idealism in the American soul. The Cycles of American History traces two conflicting visions of America-Experiment vs. Destiny-through two centuries of political evolution, conflict, and progress. In this updated edition, Schlesinger reflects on the dawn of a new millennium and how new social and technological revolutions could lead to a revolution in American political cycles. Whatever the nation's political future, it can benefit from the intelligence and regard for our country's best traditions evident in these informed and humane essays. -TheNew York Times Displays the author at his best: trenchant, erudite, crisp. -Foreign Affairs An excellent and provocative primer on the challenges surrounding the contemporary American political setting . . . First-rate history mixed with a strong sense of public service. -The Christian Science Monitor