Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus by Rick Perlstein

Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus by Rick Perlstein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Given the state of today's current volatile partisan politics this book is still relevant and does shed some light onto the beginnings of it. The book looks at the beginnings of Barry Goldwater and what led up to his unprecedented popularity and then to his eventual landslide defeat in 1964 to President Johnson.

My recent reading obsession has been the 1960's. I was born in the middle of the decade but have not recollection of it. It perhaps growing up in the shadow of this tumultuous time in our country(and the world to) that has peaked my curiosity. The more I learn of this decade the more I realize it's impact it had on our society. I'm often curious as to attitudes and the way we looked at our government before and after this era. Obviously I only have the benefit of seeing what happened afterward which may not be perceptible as I don't have anything to compare it to.

Back to the book. Before this book I didn't really have an in depth knowledge of Senator Barry Goldwater. I did get the sense he was an icon in the conservative politics. I had heard of his defeat and his famous book "Conscience of a Conservative"but not much more.

I got the sense he was popular because he had a no nonsense approach and spoke his mind with out sugar coating his ideas or speech. These days we call it not being politically correct. He tended to say what people wished to express but were afraid to. I could help but draw parallels to supporters of our current President whom often quote a similar quality. He was a pilot and often projected a tough cowboy-like image. He was loved by many but scorned by establishment Republicans of the time.

The book paints his as sort of a reluctant Presidential candidate. He would often ignore prepared remarks or speeches and go off on tangents that would give those trying to help him fits. He wasn't much interested in being a polished candidate and it would seem he'd rather lose than do compromise his beliefs. He was also reluctant to disavow extremists in his party who supported him. It was probably this stubbornness that lead to his defeat but ironically enamored him to the conservative cause.

Although the book focuses on Goldwater the author also fills us in on what is going on in society at the time. Delves into events like the turmoil in Berkeley, the Kennedy assassination, the beginnings of trouble in Vietnam and the growing conservative movement that would continue long after his inevitable defeat.

It was hard not to draw comparisons to today's political climate. It's certainly an interesting book if you're looking into the roots of today's politics and conservatives in general. This is also first of a trilogy by the author the next s called "Nixonland" which I have listened too and also recommend.

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