Grand Expectations: The United States, 1945-1974 Book

This is a good book. Patterson does an excellent job of flushing out all of the disparate groups that came together - and opposed each at various times - to form the Civil Right movement. It seems that today, if Americans think of Civil Rights, they seem only to think of Martin Luther King, Jr. The movement was so much more than him, although obviously he was a great leader who inspired millions of people. Patterson details how the various factions were forced to acknowledge each others' different approaches in order to accomplish their respective missions.

Patterson gives a fair impression of Eisenhower - knocking him, in my opinion rightfully so, for not embracing Civil Rights and being more willing to influence people as only he could during the 1950s.

Patterson also is neutral in his appraisal of Lyndon Johnson - acknowledging that his legislative accomplishments were really exemplary while at the same time he was over-selling his Great Society. And, of course, the disaster of Vietnam.

It is apparent to me that Patterson does not think highly of Truman. He mostly disparages him and leaves one with the impression that he was a bungler and in over his head. On the contrary, I think Truman was a bold leader and, while initially trying to feel his way around after FDR's death, did a great job. He was thrust into an awful situation, without much knowledge of events due to FDR's penchant for keeping everyone in the dark.

Also, another shortcoming is the all-too-brief treatment that Patterson gives to both Kennedy assassinations - especially JFK's. That was a seminal moment and a major turning point in American history. Yet Patterson devotes only a few pages to the event. He could have, and I think should have, gone into much more detail on that tragic occurrence.

All in all, a solid book. This is the third volume that I have read of the Oxford History series; the previous two books were stronger in their subject matter than this one was - with the exception of the Civil Rights discussion.