Books by Steven M. Gillon
The Pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the Rivalry that Defined a Generation
Most Americans saw President Bill Clinton and Speaker Newt Gingrich as staunch foes--"the polar extremes of Pennsylvania Avenue." But as Steven Gillon reveals in The Pact, these powerful adversaries formed a secret alliance in 1997, a pact that would have rocked the political landscape, had it not foundered in the wake of the Lewinsky scandal.
A fascinating look at politics American-style, The Pact offers a riveting account of two of America's most charismatic and influential leaders, detailing both their differences and their striking similarities, and highlighting the profound and lasting impact the tumultuous 1960s had on both their personal and political lives. With the cooperation of both President Clinton and Speaker Gingrich, interviews with key players who have never before spoken about their experiences, along with unprecedented access to Gingrich's private papers, Gillon not only offers a behind-the-scenes look at the budget impasse and the government shutdown in 1995--the famous face-off between Clinton and Gingrich--but he also reveals how the two moved closer together after 1996--closer than anyone knew. In particular, the book illuminates their secret efforts to abandon the liberal and conservative wings of their own parties and strike a bi-partisan deal to reform the "third rail of American politics"--Social Security and Medicare. That potentially groundbreaking effort was swept away by the highly charged reaction to the Lewinsky affair, ending an initiative that might have transformed millions of American lives.
Packed with compelling new revelations about two of the most powerful and intriguing figures of our time, this book will be must reading for everyone interested in politics or current events.
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10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America (History Channel Presents)
A companion book to The History Channel® special series of ten one-hour documentaries
10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America pinpoints pivotal days that transformed our nation. For the series and the book, The History Channel challenged a panel of leading historians, including author Steven M. Gillon, to come up with some less well-known but historically significant events that triggered change in America. Together, the days they chose tell a story about the great democratic ideals upon which our country was built.
You won’t find July 4, 1776, for instance, or the attack on Fort Sumter that ignited the Civil War, or the day Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. But January 25, 1787, is here. On that day, the ragtag men of Shays’ Rebellion attacked the federal arsenal in Springfield, Massachusetts, and set the new nation on the path to a strong central government. January 24, 1848, is also on the list. That’s when a carpenter named John Marshall spotted a few glittering flakes of gold in a California riverbed. The discovery profoundly altered the American dream. Here, too, is the day that noted pacifist Albert Einstein unwittingly advocated the creation of the Manhattan Project, thus setting in motion a terrible chain of events.
Re-creating each event with vivid immediacy, accessibility, and historical accuracy, 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America comes together as a history of our country, from the first colonists’ contact with Native Americans to the 1960s. It is a snapshot of our country as we were, are, and will be.
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The Kennedy Assassination--24 Hours After: Lyndon B. Johnsons Pivotal First Day as President
Riding in an open-topped convertible through Dallas on November 22, 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson heard a sudden explosive sound at 12:30 PM. The Secret Service sped him away to safety, but not until 1:20 PM did he learn that John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. Sworn in next to a bloodstained Jackie Kennedy at 2:40 PM, Johnson worked feverishly until 3:00 in the morning, agonizing about the future of both his nation and his party. Unbeknownst to him, his actions had already determined the tragic outcome of his presidency.
In November 22, 1963, historian Steven Gillon tells the story of how Johnson consolidated power in the twenty-four hours following the assassination. Based on scrupulous research and new archival sources, this gripping narrative sheds new and surprising light on one of the most written-about events of the twentieth century.
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The Kennedy Assassination--24 Hours After: Lyndon B. Johnson's Pivotal First Day as President
On November 22, 1963, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson faced one of the most painful and tragic events in American historythe assassination of John F. Kennedy. In that moment of chaos, with a nation in shock, Johnson became president. From the first crack of gunfire to a frenzied return to Washington, The Kennedy Assassination24 Hours After details the first day of Johnsons presidency. Based on scrupulous research and new archival sources, this gripping narrative sheds new and often surprising light on one of the most written-about events of the twentieth century.
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Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK through Reagan and Bush
Steven Gillon, New York Times bestselling author of America's Reluctant Prince, is back with the story of how WWII shaped the characters and politics of seven American presidents.
World War II loomed over the twentieth century, transforming every level of American society and international relationships and searing itself onto the psyche of an entire generation, including that of seven American presidents: John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush.
The lessons of World War II, more than party affiliation or ideology, defined the presidencies of these seven men. They returned home determined to confront any force that threatened to undermine the war’s hard-won ideals, each with their own unique understanding of patriotism, sacrifice, and America’s role in global politics.
In Presidents at War, Gillon examines what these men took away from the war and how they then applied it to Cold War policies that proceeded to change America, and the world, forever. A nuanced and deeply researched exploration of the lives, philosophies, and legacies of seven remarkable men, Presidents at War deftly argues that the lessons learned by these postwar presidents continue to shape the landscape upon which current, and future, presidents stand today.
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$35.00
America's Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy Jr.
*A New York Times Bestseller*
A major new biography of John F. Kennedy Jr. from a leading historian who was also a close friend, America’s Reluctant Prince is a deeply researched, personal, surprising, and revealing portrait of the Kennedy heir the world lost too soon.
Through the lens of their decades-long friendship and including exclusive interviews and details from previously classified documents, noted historian and New York Times bestselling author Steven M. Gillon examines John F. Kennedy Jr.’s life and legacy from before his birth to the day he died. Gillon covers the highs, the lows, and the surprising incidents, viewpoints, and relationships that John never discussed publicly, revealing the full story behind JFK Jr.’s complicated and rich life. In the end, Gillon proves that John’s life was far more than another tragedy—rather, it’s the true key to understanding both the Kennedy legacy and how America’s first family continues to shape the world we live in today.
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America's Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy Jr.
*A New York Times Bestseller*
A major new biography of John F. Kennedy Jr. from a leading historian who was also a close friend, America’s Reluctant Prince is a deeply researched, personal, surprising, and revealing portrait of the Kennedy heir the world lost too soon.
Through the lens of their decades-long friendship and including exclusive interviews and details from previously classified documents, noted historian and New York Times bestselling author Steven M. Gillon examines John F. Kennedy Jr.’s life and legacy from before his birth to the day he died. Gillon covers the highs, the lows, and the surprising incidents, viewpoints, and relationships that John never discussed publicly, revealing the full story behind JFK Jr.’s complicated and rich life. In the end, Gillon proves that John’s life was far more than another tragedy—rather, it’s the true key to understanding both the Kennedy legacy and how America’s first family continues to shape the world we live in today.
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Separate and Unequal: The Kerner Commission and the Unraveling of American Liberalism
From a New York Times bestselling author, the definitive history of the Kerner Commission, whose report on urban unrest reshaped American debates about race and inequality
In Separate and Unequal, New York Times bestselling historian Steven M. Gillon offers a revelatory new history of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders -- popularly known as the Kerner Commission. Convened by President Lyndon Johnson after riots in Newark and Detroit left dozens dead and thousands injured, the commission issued a report in 1968 that attributed the unrest to "white racism" and called for aggressive new programs to end discrimination and poverty. "Our nation is moving toward two societies," it warned, "one black, and one white -- separate and unequal."
Johnson refused to accept the Kerner Report, and as his political coalition unraveled, its proposals went nowhere. For the right, the report became a symbol of liberal excess, and for the left, one of opportunities lost. Separate and Unequal is essential for anyone seeking to understand the fraught politics of race in America.
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Cengage Advantage Books: The American Experiment: A History of the United States, Volume 1: To 1877
by Steven M. Gillon, Cathy D. Matson
Developed to meet the demand for a low-cost, high-quality history book, this economically priced version of THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT, Third Edition offers readers the complete narrative while limiting the number of features, photos, and maps. All volumes feature a paperback, two-color format that appeals to those seeking a comprehensive, trade-sized history text. Approaching the American history survey course in an innovative way, this text features a more expansive definition of political history that includes all forms of politics, not just electoral politics, while simultaneously incorporating cultural history. With the specific aim of expanding history beyond elite actors, THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT emphasizes everyday work, family life, customs, and objects of cultural history to address its four themes: the role of government, American identity, the broad concept of culture, and America and the world. The Third Edition features an enhanced thematic approach that helps students understand America's development as an experiment in politics, culture, and identity, within a global context. Available in the following options: CENGAGE ADVANTAGE BOOKS: THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT, Third Edition (Chapters 1-32); Volume 1: To 1877 (Chapters 1-16); Volume 2: Since 1865 (Chapters 16-32).
Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.
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Cengage Advantage Books: The American Experiment: A History of the United States, Volume 2: Since 1865
by Steven M. Gillon, Cathy D. Matson
Developed to meet the demand for a low-cost, high-quality history book, this economically priced version of THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT, Third Edition offers readers the complete narrative while limiting the number of features, photos, and maps. All volumes feature a paperback, two-color format that appeals to those seeking a comprehensive, trade-sized history text. Approaching the American history survey course in an innovative way, this text features a more expansive definition of political history that includes all forms of politics, not just electoral politics, while simultaneously incorporating cultural history. With the specific aim of expanding history beyond elite actors, THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT emphasizes everyday work, family life, customs, and objects of cultural history to address its four themes: the role of government, American identity, the broad concept of culture, and America and the world. The Third Edition features an enhanced thematic approach that helps students understand America's development as an experiment in politics, culture, and identity, within a global context. Available in the following options: CENGAGE ADVANTAGE BOOKS: THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT, Third Edition (Chapters 1-32); Volume 1: To 1877 (Chapters 1-16); Volume 2: Since 1865 (Chapters 16-32).
Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.
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