America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s

America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s is the definitive interpretive survey of the political, social, and cultural history of 1960s America. Written by two top experts on the eraMaurice Isserman, a scholar of the Left, and Michael Kazin, a specialist in Right-wing politics and culturethis book provides a compelling tale of this tumultuous era filled with fresh and persuasive insights. Arguing that the period marked the end of the country's two-century-long ascent toward widespread affluence, domestic consensus, and international hegemony, the authors take students on a tour of the turbulent decade, exploring what did and did not change in the 1960s and why American culture and politics have never been the same since. America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s explains what made the 1960s a decade in which people felt they could make history and why, in the following decades, the history felt so troubling to Americans. They cover such events as the Cuban Missile Crisis and Operation Rolling Thunder, the rise of Motown, Bob Dylan and the Beatles, and the important role played by organizations ranging from the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee to the Campus Crusade for Christ. They also shed some much-needed light on the eras often overlooked rise of the New Right and its far reaching implications which not only offer a critical dimension to the understanding of this period but to the future of America as well. Isserman and Kazin offer the most sophisticated understanding of the key developments of the decade and break new ground with their careful attention to every aspect of the political and cultural spectrum making America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s an exciting and essential narrative for both students and general readers alike.

Maurice Isserman, Professor of History, Hamilton College. Michael Kazin, Professor of History, American University.