Crusader Nation - by David Traxel (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In this absorbing history of progressive-era America, acclaimed historian David Traxel paints a vivid picture of a tumultuous time of change that was the foundation for the twentieth century.. With WWI on the horizon, the struggles to end child labor, improve public health, advance education, win votes for women, and rid cities of corrupt political machines brought forth passionate responses from millions of Americans. There was a demand for reform and a desire for a more efficient and compassionate society. From wide-eyed dreamers to hard-line politicians, seasoned reporters to diary keeping soldiers, these crusaders-Jack Reed, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Margaret Sanger, and "Mother" Jones to name a few-come alive in these pages.

Review Quotes

"Beautifully written-a book that will make all Americans take heart."-Doris Kearns Goodwin

"Incisive. . . . Copiously referenced. . . . Brings to life the people and events that cast the foundation of America's path in the last century." -Philadelphia Inquirer

"Highly readable. . . . filled with vivid anecdotes [that bring] the period into much sharper focus." -The Providence Journal

"Engagingly written and insightful. . . . [Traxel's narrative ] is greatly enhanced by his extensive use of the diaries of average Americans."-The Washington Times

About the Author

Victorian David Traxel is the author of 1898: The Birth of the American Century. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Cruz and is an associate professor of history at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, where he lives with his wife, the photographer Rosemary Ranck.