A Century Turns New Hopes, New Fears by William J. Bennett provides a good summary of America between 1988 and 2008. Bennett offers it from a political point of view, as expected because Bennet is first and foremost involved in politics, not as a politician, but as a political educator and advisor. He served under senior President Bush administration and his network, professional and social, was built on the steps of Capitol Hill. The book covered presidential elections from George H. W. Bush to Barack Obama, and international and domestic political policies. However, readers should expect limited coverage on culture, media, technology and social landscape. Any account of those coverage is a small percentage compared to the political coverage.
The book carries a personal voice and is sometimes subjective. For example, when Bennett defended what the media misreported about some of President Bush’s activities and policies, specifically in the first part of the book – his loyalty to Senior Bush is clearly evident. We see the political landscape of 1988 to 2008 from Bennett’s eyes through his own personal involvement and accounts. Overall, his perspective is optimistic and hopeful, which are great ingredients for a America’s next century.
Overall I like the book and recommend it to those who are interested in a quick recap of America’s political agenda between 1988 and 2008. It’s a fairly quick read.
