Restless Giant

By: James T. Patterson

Narrated by: Robert Fass

Length: 17 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's Summary

Following up Grand Expectations in the Oxford History of the United States, Restless Giant provides a crisp, concise assessment of the 27 years between the resignation of Richard Nixon and the election of George W. Bush, in a sweeping narrative that seamlessly weaves together social, cultural, political, economic, and international developments.

In exploring a wide range of cultural, social, and economic concerns, Patterson and engrossing narrator Robert Fass show how the persistence of racial tensions, high divorce rates, alarm over crime, and urban decay all led many writers to portray this era as one of decline.

Restless Giant is the 11th volume of the Oxford History of the United States, which includes three Pulitzer Prize winners, a New York Times best seller, and winners of the Bancroft and Parkman Prizes. The Atlantic Monthly has praised it as “state of the art” and “the most distinguished series in American historical scholarship.”

Listen to more of the definitive Oxford History of the United States.

©2005 James T. Patterson (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Too Soon? Maybe, but still a good listen

History is best looked at from a great distance. We are still so close to these events that political passions can sway our opinions. Mr. Patterson does a fine job of chronicling this most recent period of our history, but I could not help but notice that he had a horse in the race. I am not saying that it is a bad thing or a good thing but that it just is. He may be a little too proud of his progressive cohorts, but I suppose he can't be blamed for that that. Having noted that, I enjoyed the book very much. Anybody who loves history will enjoy it as well.
The author touches on most of the important events during the period. The Nixon episode is very interesting. Every time I hear about it from a different angle I get just a bit better understanding of it. This book also shines a revelatory light on our world just before everything changed after 9/11. That alone made it worth the listen.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Excellent Big Picture Perspective

Worth taking the time to listen! Informative and helpful in seeing not only the micro happenings, but the history and situation leading up to and allowing the presidents and their parties to exercise power.

Why We are the Way We Are

Would you listen to Restless Giant again? Why?

Yes, to allow me to remember more of the information in order to help me teach it in my U.S. History classes.

What did you like best about this story?

How it allows me to better understand why we are in the state we are in.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I was looking for more

Would you try another book from James T. Patterson and/or Robert Fass?

maybe , this was just an account of selective historical incidents , not much of analysis or insight

If you’ve listened to books by James T. Patterson before, how does this one compare?

No

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Restless Giant?

not much

Any additional comments?

thought i would learn more about the states

1 of 5 people found this review helpful

The US from 1972 to 2000: A Review

Patterson delivers here an analysis of US Politics from Watergate to the 2000 Election Debacle. Patterson does not isolate one Administration from another. Instead, he gives the impression of a continual flow of events, independent of each other, but linked nonetheless. I believe this work is also non-partisan, offering a balanced criticism of Democrat as well as Republican Presidencies.