Review: America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s, 3rd Edition

America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s, 3rd Edition by Maurice Isserman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

America Divided is a very thorough review of the political, social, and cultural history of the 1960s. This decade is known for being a tumultuous time of change in our nation's history. The 60s begin with a new era of democratic politics, moving away from the conservative leadership of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The young Catholic John F. Kennedy wins the presidency taking on a new age of liberalism. Civil Rights come to the forefront spearheaded by Martin Luther King, the SCLC, and SNCC. Cuba and Vietnam are at the top of the list of JFK's foreign relations concerns. After JFK's assassination, Vice President Lyndon Johnson becomes the nation's leader and the "New Left" rises in the wake of student protests and rising tensions with Vietnam taking us into an unwinnable war. A conservative revival and the war brings another change leading to the election of Richard Nixon in the latter part of the decade. This was the decade that marginal groups yearned to be heard and to gain equal rights for women, Blacks, Chicanos, and LGBT. This book covers it all and covers it well.

Although this book is intended as a scholarly read, for use as a text for history students, it is very readable and a great resource for anyone interested in learning more about this era. The book actually starts in the mid-50s, laying the ground with the mindset of the nation in the post-war era. It continues chronologically through the mid-70s and the resignation of Nixon after the Watergate debacle, but the meatiest part of the text centers on the 60s. It is a somewhat short book yet very thorough. The perfect resource for the 60s.

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