Items related to The Hard Years
Synopsis
Forty-one essays of varying length and profundity on the state of the nation, and three poems for good measure. McCarthy gracefully if fitfully surveys such institutions as the presidency (""Leadership should be almost a residual function of the office,"" not its loudly trumpeted raison d'etre, ""because the potential for leadership in a free country must exist in every citizen""); such adjuncts of post-Kennedy democracy as the cult of the expert (an unfortunate contribution to the over-insulation of presidents from the people); such broad questions as the relative merits of amendment and statutory legislation in keeping the Constitution abreast of current realities. McCarthy eulogizes such honorable Americans as the late Wayne Morse (whether as a Republican or a Democrat, ""always on the edge of defiance and challenge""). The tone of the writing is that of McCarthy's campaigning and legislative styles: the accomplished and capricious dilettante, rising unexpectedly to heights of wit, passion, and commitment that make you forget your impatience. He rarely develops an idea with real rigor or tenacity, never links separate observations into unified vision, cannot resist interrupting even the slenderest train of thought for the sake of elegant doodling (see the very funny remarks on the ills of our cities that occupy nearly a quarter of a sketchy tribute to Lewis Mumford). One would enjoy these vagaries in a speech, but they read less well. It's hard to tell in what direction McCarthy's thinking has moved since '68; he likes to float discreetly to broad generalities that leave unexamined the particulars of the two-party system, inflation and recession, and how to resist executive encroachment on Congressional prerogative. He remains long on charm and originality, master of the poised apercu or ironic understatement, fastidiously his own man. A trial balloon for '76?
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- PublisherViking Adult
- Publication date1975
- ISBN 10 0670361410
- ISBN 13 9780670361410
- BindingHardcover
- LanguageEnglish
- Edition number1
- Number of pages229
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The Hard Years
Seller: Priceless Books, Urbana, IL, U.S.A.
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Hb. Condition: VG-. Dust Jacket Condition: VG-. 229pp. Index. Wear and fading boards, soiling edges, DJ: wear extremities. Seller Inventory # 201483
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The Hard Years
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The Hard Years
Published by
Viking Adult, New York, 1975
ISBN 10: 0670361410
ISBN 13: 9780670361410
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Seller: Liberty Book Shop, Avis, PA, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First Edition; First Printing. Just a hint of edge rubbing, in like DJ. Now protected in a mylar jacket. ; Large 8vo 9" - 10" tall; 229 pages. Seller Inventory # 48807
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The Hard Years
Published by
Viking Adult, 1975
ISBN 10: 0670361410
ISBN 13: 9780670361410
Used
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First Edition
Seller: Blue Leaf Books, Winona, MN, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Fair. 1st Edition. Hardcover, EX LIB with some library markings. Clean text. Tight binding. Bright dust jacket. Seller Inventory # 12,243
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The Hard Years: a Look at Contemporary America and American Institutions.
Seller: Lincbook, Foster, RI, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Viking Press, 1975. Very good. , Hardcover, Clean, tight, in lightly worn dust jacket. 229 pages. Out-of-print and antiquarian booksellers since 1933. We pack and ship with care. Book. Seller Inventory # LINCBOOK027211
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The Hard Years
Published by
Library of America, The, 1975
ISBN 10: 0670361410
ISBN 13: 9780670361410
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Hardcover
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
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Condition: Very Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 15432018-20
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The Hard Years
Published by
Viking, New York, 1975
ISBN 10: 0670361410
ISBN 13: 9780670361410
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First edition. Near fine in very good plus dust jacket. Light fading on edges of book, minor shelf-rubbing, Advance Copy. Seller Inventory # 244327
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HARD YEARS, THE: A Look at Contempporary America and American Institutions
Seller: Austin Book Shop LLC, Richmond Hill, NY, U.S.A.
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Hard Cover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 229pp. Intro by Tom Wicker. In four sections McCarthy looks at Institutions, Operatons, Principles and People. Each section more interesting than the previous as he looks at times that have gone awry. (Loc 935/1). Seller Inventory # 26555
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The Hard Years
Published by
Viking Adult, 1975
ISBN 10: 0670361410
ISBN 13: 9780670361410
Used
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First Edition
Signed
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
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Condition: Very Good. Signed Copy First edition copy. . Good dust jacket. Inscribed "To Bill Safire with appreciation" and signed by author on half title page. From the library of American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter William Safire. (US Government, Politics, American Institutions, America). Seller Inventory # SA10A-01733
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The Hard Years: A Look at Contemporary America and American Institutions
Published by
Viking, New York, 1975
ISBN 10: 0670361410
ISBN 13: 9780670361410
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Signed
Seller: Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: very good. Dust Jacket Condition: very good(-). First. Introduction by Tom Wicker. 229 pages, 8vo, blue boards with a black cloth spine (one corner bumped), dust wrapper (gently worn; very small closed tear at the bottom). New York: The Viking Press, (1975). First edition. A very good copy in a very good(-) dust wrapper. Inscribed on the half-title page: "To Kay Meehan with best wishes, Gene McCarthy, Jan 10, 1976.". Seller Inventory # 226451
Quantity: 1 available