PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
Clay Risen is a staff editor of the New York Times op-ed and Sunday Review sections and was founding managing editor of the noted quarterly Democracy: A Journal of Ideas. His recent writing has appeared in such journals as the Atlantic and the Smithsonian, and in the Washington Post. His first book, A Nation on Fire: America in the Wake of the King Assassination, received much critical acclaim. He lives in New York.
[A] strong book ... Risen is right to take a fresh look at the evidence and tell the story from a new perspective, focusing on unsung heroes. The Atlantic A journalist's in-depth, behind-the-scenes account of the unsung congressional and White House heroes who helped the Civil Rights Act become the law of the land. Kirkus Risen is adept at weaving in juicy snippets of conversation. Publishers Weekly A crucial chronicle of the difficult, rocky road leading to the Civil Rights Act and the almost-forgotten heroes responsible for its passage. -- Jelani Cobb A much-needed narrative history of a moral and political turning point, told with admirable command. -- Diane McWhorter, author of CARRY ME HOME What a compelling story for our times! -- Nell Irvin Painter, Edwards Professor of American History, Emerita, Princeton University This is an outstanding study of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Moreover, it is an exceptional examination of how Congress worked 50 years ago. What makes New York Times op-ed editor Risen's account compelling is his depiction of a subtle process that depended on a cast of characters. First, it was in the House of Representatives where Democrats like Emanuel Celler and Republicans such as William McCullough conspired to override southern objections. Although Risen gives President Lyndon B. Johnson his due, he does not describe him as the indispensable force in passing the first major piece of civil rights legislation since the 14th amendment. In the Senate, the author highlights Everett Dirksen, Hubert Humphrey, and Mike Mansfield for their efforts. He even breaks scholarly ground by pointing out that Howard Smith's amendment expanding women's rights was not offered solely as a poison pill, but due to a lifetime of devotion to gender equality. Risen's account of John Kennedy's efforts are sparkling. A work of high academic quality written with a journalist's flair for telling a tale. Superb. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. -- D. R. Turner, Davis and Elkins College CHOICE
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