1302 Page Milestone THE GLORY AND THE DREAM

Rick and I have both finished reading THE GLORY AND THE DREAM (TGATD) by William Manchester, his one thousand three hundred and two page opus on twentieth century American History. I am such a fan of Manchester that it required constant vigilance not to be seduced by his liberal slant. He can make the most egregious liberal policies seem beneficent. Having recently made the move to Austrian Economics, and not really understanding it at anything above the fundamental level, reading a Statist History was an exercise in caution. TGATD came out before the books that would cement his reputation for all time, namely THE LAST LION. I think that his political views became less overtly progressively later. In this book he wears his heart on his sleeve. For example, his brief portrait of Douglas MacArthur differs from his later extensive treatment in AMERICAN CAESAR. He went in to the MacArthur project as a hostile biographer but wrote a very sympathetic book. I would like to think that he came closer to reason later in life when he sets his gaze on the world forces that threaten America. Looking inward reveals too many warts and forces the writer to advance his agenda. I prefer to read Manchester when he is unequivocally on our side; when America is fighting for survival. Due to its brevity it lacks the depth of character that I have come to love in his biographies. Even at 750,000 words TGATD must be read as a mere glimpse of American life, and that with a pronounced liberal slant. But it filled in many gaps in my knowledge and for that I appreciate it.Nevertheless, Manchester's prose soars in many places.