The Era of Good Feelings
by George Dangerfield
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Here is history as delightful as it is profound. Exploring the period between Jeffersonian democracy and Jacksonian democracy, George Dangerfield describes the personalities and experiences, American and European, which furthered the political transition "from the great dictum that central government is best when it governs least to the great dictum that central government must sometimes intervene strongly on behalf of the weak and the oppressed and the exploited." The book, winner of the show more Pulitzer and Bancroft prizes, throws new and fresh light on an important formative period in American history. "An agile piece of historical writing--witty, selective, and illuminating."--New Yorker. "George Dangerfield writes with gusto, sense, and authority. His agreeable, eloquent book is full of people, conflicts, ideas, and color. It is a learned book, and witty and skillful; on every page it is thoughtful, clever, and original."--Saturday Review. "History exploded with mature perception, pointed anecdote, and lively interpretation."--New York Times. show lessTags
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1098 The Era of Good Feelings, by George Dangerfield (read 5 Dec 1970) (Pulitzer History prize in 1953) (Bancroft Prize in 1953) The title of this book is misleading. It is really a well-written study of American history from the War of 1812 to the start of Andrew Jackson's Administration on March 4, 1829. And it is a sheer delight. Full of much I sort of knew, yet I found it fresh and enjoyable. It is a period rather neglected, but the book makes it all seem interesting and important. One certainly gets vivid pictures of Monroe, J.Q. Adams, and others. It shows the transformation from Jeffersonian democracy to Jacksonian. I shall have to read more in the field, and now seems a good time to read Schlesinger's The Age of Jackson. I liked show more this account of Daniel Webster before the Supreme Court: "At the end of his speech in the Dartmouth College case he had paused, apparently groping for the words that, with a characteristic economy, he had already used in a lower court. 'It is, Sir,' he faltered out at last,' as I have said, 'a small College. And yet, there are those who love it.' His voice choked with sobs, the audience reached for its handkerchiefs; and even Chief Justice Marshall began to cry." show less
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Best U.S. History Books (1754-1828)
363 works; 17 members
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10+ Works 974 Members
George Dangerfield's wonderfully written 1935 book has been extraordinarily influential. Scarcely any important analyst of modern Britain has tailed to cite it and to make use of the understanding Dangerfield provides. This edition is timely, since the year 2010 has seen a definitive resurrection of Liberal power. Subsequent to the General show more Election of July 2010 the government of the United Kingdom has been in the hands of a Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition. The Deputy Prime Minister is the leader of the Liberal Democratic Partythe direct successor of the old Liberal Party examined by Dangerfield. Five Liberal Democrat members of Parliament were appointed to the Cabinet and there are Liberal Democrat ministers in all governmental departments. After decades of absence from government power, Liberalism seems to be back with a vengeance. George Dangerfield (1904-1986) was an English journalist, historian, and literary editor of Vanity Fair. Recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Pulitzer Prize, he is the author of numerous works including The Damnable Question: A Study of Anglo-Irish Relations, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston of New York, and The Era of Good Feelings. David Marsland is professor of sociology at the University of Buckingham and series editor of European Social Policy for Transaction Publishers. Some of his books include Seeds of Bankruptcy and Welfare or Welfare State? show less
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Awards
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1952
Classifications
- Genres
- History, Nonfiction, Home & Garden, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 973.5 — History & geography History of North America United States Jacksonian Era (1809-1837)
- LCC
- E371 .D3 — History of the United States United States Revolution to the Civil War, 1775/1783-1861 By period Early nineteenth century, 1801/1809-1845 Monroe's administrations, 1817-1825
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 139
- Popularity
- 234,658
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.50)
- Languages
- English, Italian
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 6
- ASINs
- 8
