Synopses & Reviews
A bold and astute narrative history of conservatism's climb and one of the best-reviewed books of 2001.Rick Perlstein's Before the Storm tells the story of the rise of the conservative movement in the liberal 1960s -- a story that, until this book, had never been told. The figure at the heart of the story is, of course, Barry Goldwater, the handsome renegade Republican from Arizona who loathed the federal government, despised liberals on sight, and mocked "peaceful coexistence" with the USSR. But Perlstein's narrative shines a light on a whole world of conservatives and their antagonists, including William F. Buckley, Nelson Rockefeller, and Bill Moyers. Vividly and thrillingly written, Before the Storm is already recognized as an essential book about the 1960s.
Review
"A detailed and dramatic narrative of the rise of the modern right . . . It's an amazing story . . ." (William Kristol, The New York Times Book Review)
Review
"There is something independent, un-bought-out and, in the best sense, radical about this book." (Christopher Caldwell, The New York Observer)
Review
Daring, virtuosic writing, and encyclopedic mastery make [Before the Storm] one of the most stylish, riveting achievements in narrative history . . ." (Mark Greif, The Village Voice)
About the Author
Rick Perlstein writes for
The Nation,
Slate, and
The New York Times. He was named one of
The Village Voice's Writers on the Verge in 2000 and received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant for independent scholars. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.