This first modern history of American public life after the Civil War is a work of magisterial sweep and sophisticated insight. Integrating political, legal, and administrative history on a scale not previously attempted, Keller examines crosscurrents in American institutions during a key transitional period in American history.

Keller Morton:

Morton Keller received his M.A. and Ph.D. in History from Harvard University, and is author of numerous books and articles, including In Defense of Yesterday: James M. Beck and the Politics of Conservatism and The Art and Politics of Thomas Nast. He has also edited books on the New Deal and the age of Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. Keller is currently Samuel J. and Augusta Spector Professor of History at Brandeis University.