Book Review: A Century Turns by William J Bennett

"The 1990s was a decade of great possibility; many thought we had reached an "End of History." It turned out otherwise. To be sure, communism was finished in Eastern Europe, and the fear of nuclear confrontation had receded. A new, young president would be inaugurated from the Democratic Party - a party that had been out of control of the White House for twelve years. Within two years of his election, the Republican Party would take back control of the House of Representatives - something it had not had in forty years. If there was no European Communist threat, there was a much larger one brewing as Middle Eastern terrorism would make its first strike inside the United States, as well as at U.S. outposts abroad. Senseless domestic violence would also strike at America, and the country would go through a state murder trial with national implications that was anything but satisfying in its outcome." A Century Turns: New Hopes, New Fears, pg 53.

Normally, I devour the books I review - reading them in a single sitting. A Century Turns was a great exception to that rule. It took me weeks to read through the content and really grasp all that William Bennett wrote between the covers. I'm not saying this as a bad thing. As a matter of fact, I highly enjoyed spending so much time digesting this wonderful volume of American history.

I hold a history minor, and have read many history books in the course of my education. Some have been so dry that I've fallen asleep in my studies, but Bennett's book would not fall in that category. Bennett speaks with an air of authority, giving an insiders view into the workings of the American government over the last two decades.

I really enjoyed A Century Turns and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a conservative view of politics over the last twenty years.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.)