Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America

by Rick Perlstein
Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America cover
Good Books rating 4.12
History, Political, Military, Adventure
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  • ID: 9257
  • Added: 2025-12-23
  • Updated: 2026-01-05
  • ISBN: 9781416579885
  • Publisher: Simon and Schuster
  • Published: 2008-05-13
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 4

Rick Perlstein's Nixonland is a vivid and urgent account of America's turbulent 1960s and early 1970s, exploring how Richard Nixon's political resurrection led to a profound political divide. The book begins with the Watts riots in 1965, just months after Lyndon Johnson's landslide victory, and traces the rapid shift in American politics that followed. Perlstein's prodigious research and compelling narrative bring to life the events that led to Nixon's shocking comeback and the birth of the political world we know today. Nixonland is not just a historical account but a revealing look at the social and political forces that shaped modern America. Perlstein's sharp political insight and engaging storytelling make this a must-read for anyone interested in the history of American politics.

Reviews
The BookBag · Sue Magee · 2025-12-23
fascinating 4.00

The book is a detailed and fascinating account of Nixon's rise and the fracturing of America. It portrays Nixon as a petty man who promised national unity but held within him the nastiness and division.

Sue Magee's review on The BookBag highlights the book's detailed and fascinating account of Nixon's rise and the fracturing of America. She portrays Nixon as a petty man who promised national unity but held within him the nastiness and division that characterized his political career. The review suggests that the book provides a nuanced understanding of the political and social upheavals of the 1960s and early 1970s. It's a massive read, but one that offers a comprehensive analysis of a pivotal era in American history.

Quick quotes

    A petty man emerges in these 800 detailed and fascinating pages: Nixon, who promised national unity, held within him the nastiness and ...

    This riveting book, full of colorful detail and great characters, brings back to life an astonishing era.

    It's long but I never really felt like it was just rambling on.

Hardcover · Dave · 2024-06-12
detailed 4.00

The book is long but never feels rambling, capturing the craziness of the era. It provides a detailed and insightful account of the political landscape.

Dave found the book to be long but never felt like it was rambling. They appreciated the detailed and insightful account of the political landscape and the craziness of the era. Dave noted that the book provides a unique perspective on the rise of Nixon and the fracturing of America. They highlighted the book's ability to bring the era to life and provide valuable insights into the political and social dynamics of the time. Overall, it's a compelling read that offers a comprehensive understanding of the period.

Quick quotes

    It's long but I never really felt like it was just rambling on.

    These were crazy times that I didn't realize just how crazy it was.

    It's a portrait of a consummate politician too.

Best Presidential Bios · 2018-03-21
engaging 4.00

The book is vibrant and engaging, with dramatic characters and powerful themes. However, it does not focus much on Nixon's presidency itself.

This review highlights the book's vibrant and engaging narrative, filled with dramatic characters and powerful themes. It's a compelling read that captures the essence of the tumultuous era. However, it notes that readers hoping to observe Nixon's presidency in detail might be disappointed, as the book focuses more on the broader historical context and the fracturing of America.

Quick quotes

    It is vibrant and engaging, with dramatic characters and powerful themes.

    But readers hoping to observe Nixon's presidency, his political ...

    The book is as much a masterful history of America in the tumultuous 1960s as it is a chronicle of Nixon.

The New York Times · 2008-05-18
compulsive 4.50

The book is a sprawling, compulsively readable study that explores Nixon's divisive legacy. It argues that Nixon's enduring legacy is the notion that there are two kinds of Americans.

This review from The New York Times praises the book as a sprawling, compulsively readable study. It delves into Nixon's divisive legacy, arguing that his enduring impact is the notion that there are two kinds of Americans. The review suggests that this idea has shaped American politics in profound ways. The book is seen as a significant contribution to understanding the political landscape of the 1960s and its lasting effects.

Quick quotes

    Perlstein's sprawling, compulsively readable study holds that Nixon's divisive and enduring legacy is the “notion that there are two kinds of ...

    This riveting book, full of colorful detail and great characters, brings back to life an astonishing era.

    Even though it is a massive read, the breadth of its analysis of American politics is impressive.

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