The Second Civil War - by Ronald Brownstein (Paperback)

About the Book

From one of Americas most respected political commentators comes an epic, shrewd, and important big-picture analysis of the forces that have made this era in American politics as divisive and bitterly partisan as any since the Civil War.

Book Synopsis

In recent years American politics has seemingly become much more partisan, more zero-sum, more vicious, and less able to confront the real problems our nation faces. What has happened?

In The Second Civil War, respected political commentator Ronald Brownstein diagnoses the electoral, demographic, and institutional forces that have wreaked such change over the American political landscape, pulling politics into the margins and leaving precious little common ground for compromise. The Second Civil War is not a book for Democrats or Republicans but for all Americans who are disturbed by our current political dysfunction and hungry for ways to understand it--and move beyond it.

Review Quotes

? Brownstein knows what he's talking about.?
?Jonathan Yardley, "The Washington Post"

?Provocative.?
?Allan Brinkley, "The New York Times Book Review"
? [From] one of America's best political journalists . . . a sparkling new book.?
?"The Economist"



Brownstein knows what he s talking about.
Jonathan Yardley, "The Washington Post"
Provocative.
Allan Brinkley, "The New York Times Book Review"
[From] one of America s best political journalists . . . a sparkling new book.
"The Economist"

a Brownstein knows what heas talking about.a
aJonathan Yardley, "The Washington Post"
aProvocative.a
aAllan Brinkley, "The New York Times Book Review"
a [From] one of Americaas best political journalists . . . a sparkling new book.a
a"The Economist"

"In this vital, deeply-felt and well-argued book, a superb journalist combines his unexcelled knowledge of current-day American politics with his strong sense of history to show us how our system has degenerated - and how we might climb out of the mess." -Michael Beschloss "This is a masterful work - a unique blending of first-rate historical writing with penetrating contemporary analysis, which, taken together, provide fresh perspectives on how we might move beyond the partisan divisions that plague us." -Doris Kearns Goodwin Hooray! A clarion call for common sense. This is an important, timely, and fascinating book. Ron Brownstein describes how American politics became so polarized and partisan, explains why this is so damaging to our nation, and suggests ways we can reverse this trend. Every voter should read it right away, for the sake of our democracy. (Walter Isaacson, president of the Aspen Institute) "For over a decade now, "Los Angeles Times" reporter Ron Brownstein has set the pace for smart, cutting-edge, political journalism. Now, in "The Second Civil War," he delivers a sobering analysis about how shrill hyper-partisan bickering has hijacked public policy. This is a truly important Centrist Manifesto which deserves a wide audience. With all the hatred going on, this fair-minded book is a lonely bugle call from the Washington Battlefield." -Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University and author of "The Great Deluge,"

"This is a masterful work - a unique blending of first-rate historical writing with penetrating contemporary analysis, which, taken together, provide fresh perspectives on how we might move beyond the partisan divisions that plague us." -Doris Kearns Goodwin Hooray! A clarion call for common sense. This is an important, timely, and fascinating book. Ron Brownstein describes how American politics became so polarized and partisan, explains why this is so damaging to our nation, and suggests ways we can reverse this trend. Every voter should read it right away, for the sake of our democracy. (Walter Isaacson, president of the Aspen Institute) "For over a decade now, "Los Angeles Times" reporter Ron Brownstein has set the pace for smart, cutting-edge, political journalism. Now, in "The Second Civil War," he delivers a sobering analysis about how shrill hyper-partisan bickering has hijacked public policy. This is a truly important Centrist Manifesto which deserves a wide audience. With all the hatred going on, this fair-minded book is a lonely bugle call from the Washington Battlefield." -Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University and author of "The Great Deluge,"

Hooray! A clarion call for common sense. This is an important, timely, and fascinating book. Ron Brownstein describes how American politics became so polarized and partisan, explains why this is so damaging to our nation, and suggests ways we can reverse this trend. Every voter should read it right away, for the sake of our democracy. (Walter Isaacson, president of the Aspen Institute) "For over a decade now, "Los Angeles Times" reporter Ron Brownstein has set the pace for smart, cutting-edge, political journalism. Now, in "The Second Civil War," he delivers a sobering analysis about how shrill hyper-partisan bickering has hijacked public policy. This is a truly important Centrist Manifesto which deserves a wide audience. With all the hatred going on, this fair-minded book is a lonely bugle call from the Washington Battlefield." -Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University and author of "The Great Deluge,"

About the Author

Ronald Brownstein is political director of Atlantic Media, publishers of the Atlantic, National Journal, and the Hotline, among other publications. He was national political correspondent and columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He has been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of both the 1996 and 2004 presidential elections. The author or editor of five previous books, he appears regularly as an analyst for CNN and other television programs, such as Meet the Press and Charlie Rose.