Why should you read this book? Lots of reasons.

First, read BEFORE THE STORM for it's look at the origins of the modern political era. When the polls closed on Election Night '64, the Democrats had just won the Presidency for the seventh time in nine elections, and they held huge majorities in both houses of Congress. The experts debated whether the Republican party could survive, but all agreed that the Conservative movement was dead as vaudeville.

Within two years, the Republicans came roaring back in Congress and the state capitols, and the Conservatives held veto power in the Party. The GOP won five of the next six Presidential elections, captured the Senate in the eighties and both houses of Congress in the nineties, and the only Republican presidential candidates to lose were two incumbents who had shown themselves as not conservative enough for the fire-eaters. Who ordered this?

Perlstein shows how the charges that blew apart the consensus were laid. He follows the people who were determined to create a Conservative movement, and shows how they eventually succeeded in forcing their champion, Barry Goldwater, into running for the office he didn't want.

BEFORE THE STORM also shows us how crazy politics can make people. It's jaw dropping to read of Clarence Manion's efforts to make Orville Faubus into the standard bearer of Constitutional govt. Faubus arguably should have been hanged for treason!

And how many of knew that Barry Goldwater was either a totally incompetent politician, or he deliberately sabotaged his presidential effort? The story of Goldwater's '64 'campaign' is a near-perfect record of doing the wrong thing. Yet it didn't matter. Goldwater did the three things necessary to birth the modern Conservative movement: he ran, he allowed Clifton White to organize the volunteers who would take over the Republican party, and he introduced the politician who knew how to reach the people: Ronald Reagan. (My wife, hearing Reagan give "The Speech" for Goldwater, wished she could vote for Ronnie for President instead. Took a while, but ...)

It's also illuminating to watch LBJ and his sanctimonious minions attempt to frighten the public into believing Goldwater was a madman who'd get us involved in a war, while secretly planning to do it themselves. How could so many, including me, be taken in by that fraud?

Well, reading Perlstein, we're shown how easy it is to miss what's important. The public didn't know what Johnson would do, and the pundits had no idea a Conservative tidal wave would sweep away New Deal politics. Remember that the next time some television gas bag confidently predicts the future, or candidates assure you they'll never do 'X'.

BEFORE THE STORM also reminds us of things we prefer to forget or deny, such as the way Goldwater and others abandoned principle to appeal to racists. As a Known Fascist, I hang my head in shame for what we compromised with.

But most of all, read BEFORE THE STORM for a great piece of objective history. No one will fail to realize that Rick Perlstein is a Leftist who disagrees with almost every political position Barry Goldwater ever held. But he hardly ever lets his point of view get in the way of explaining his subject's viewpoint.

Occasionally, Perlstein stumbles. His claim that Walter Knott got rich off Big Govt. is just silly, and his criticism of western water projects not much better. I could also wish he'd bothered to read books like McCARTHY AND HIS ENEMIES, instead of relying on summaries by hostile critics, or concentrated more on how liberal Democrats like Reagan and Charleton Heston became conservative Republicans. But far more often, he gets inside the heads of those he profiles, as when he tells of the white South's genuine fear that ending racism would also mean ending everything good in Dixie's distinctive subculture. I'm impressed. I look forward to reading future books by Rick Perlstein on any subject, and only hope that my eventual work on Robert Oppenheimer and his times can be as insightful, thorough, and above all, honest. I may even delve into (shudder) THE NATION just to read his articles.

Highly recommended.

You don't have to be a political junkie to enjoy Rick Perlstein's Before the Storm - the ultimately quixotic tale of the 1964 nominating fight and presidential campaign of conservative Republican Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona. A product of exhaustive research (the Notes and Bibliography alone stretch for nearly 120 pages), Before the Storm transports the reader to the very heart of the '60s where the Cold War and the Vietnam conflict loom large, the assassination of JFK shocks the nation, the Civil Rights movement and college unrest define a generation - and a band of conservative activists establishes a public policy agenda which, though mightily rejected in the 1964 election of Lyndon Johnson, bears surprising fruit a scant two years later in the election of Ronald Reagan as Governor of California.

If you are a fledgling activist, Before the Storm will usher you into the realities of the American political process where politics is war, even the most minute organizational details matter, and all things are ultimately possible.

If you are a student of American history, Before the Storm will bring new life to the story of the '60s for you with real people, real ideas and terribly real events pushing and shoving you in every imaginable direction. After reading Before the Storm you will never view the '60s with simple, rose-colored glasses again.

If you are a child of the '60s, Before the Storm will bring back your youth in bold strokes and striking colors. Whether you see yourself as conservative or liberal, you will feel once again the siren call of human freedom that so clearly marked that generation of Civil Rights Workers and Young Americans for Freedom.

Reading Before the Storm will help make you a more astute observer of the political scene - chuckling to yourself over the apocalyptic mutterings of big-time pundits like Scotty Reston, Tom Wicker and Walter Lippmann forty years ago even as you develop a healthy mistrust of the the McLaughlins, Blitzers and Dowds of today.

And if you are an admirer of Barry Goldwater, as I was, Before the Storm will upset you with his Keystone Cops campaign (after winning the nomination) and the bull headedness of your hero. In the end you will appreciate Goldwater for what he truly was - an uncompromising advocate of freedom whose integrity, loyalty and conviction were unquestioned by friend and foe alike.

If you are a reader of culture and politics, I can guarantee that you have never read the story contained in this book. The history of the sixties has been packaged by the so called "victors" for 30 years. Rick Perlstein just broke up that monopoly. Somehow he tells the story of the birth of modern conservatism without attacking the ideology, or schilling for it either. We hear alot about "balance" these days, but here we actually have it. This is the way history should be written.

Perlstein is a thirty year old guy, who obviously went beyond his textbooks while in school. He is one of the rare modern writers of politics and culture who treats the subject of American conservatism seriously by painstakingly recreating its march forward, led by Barry Goldwater. Goldwater's defeat in '64 was spectacular, but as Perlstein puts it, conservatives "sucked it up" and moved on.

If you are a conservative you will love the detail of the book. If you are Liberal you may begin to understand how the conservative ideology was battle tested in '64 and how it later used that huge defeat as a source of strength in the eighties and nineties. Most of all if you want to know more about the truth of the sixties, read this book. Perlstein shows that alot more than just flower power happened during that complex decade.

This biography is well written and researched. Unfortunately, it becomes painfully clear at times that the author, Robert Alan Goldberg, is writing from the Left. The book's strengths lie in his discussion of Goldwater's family history and upbringing. On the other hand, Goldberg's rants on Goldwater's racial complacency get old after a couple chapters, and do not relent. Goldberg essentially accuses Goldwater of turning a blind eye to racism, but then defends him by saying he himself was not racist.

Of course Goldwater was not racist. He did not "accomodate" racism, either...Goldwater just wasn't a "Civil Rights" activist like Goldberg, but then again, who is Goldberg to judge a man such as Barry Goldwater? When he sticks to the facts, this book is good. When he strays, it is awkward. Overall, though, its at least worth borrowing from the local library.

Barry Goldwater,as someone once pointed out, last name speaks of the 2 most important things in the American west. this biography,meticulous in its balance,shows Goldwater from his lonely days as a western conservative ina republican party dominated with eastern power and money{how wird does that sound now?],to his latter days a conscience of the conservaties,who found little to cheer about from the new right who claimed its parnetage to him.From his biting prescience on LBJ and Vietnam, to his condemnation of modern politcs,Goldwater was an original.truly .Would his vision and sheer balls be available on this convuluted and viscious landscape of politics today.Very,very well written,balanced,nuanced biography of a seminal figure of modern america.

In this wonderful biography, Goldberg provides a clear and enjoyable narrative of a rugged individualist, an independent thinker, and a man steeped in contradiction. Goldberg's book provides for a well-organized outline of Goldwater's life as a young man, businessman, Air Force pilot, and public servant. Unlike other Goldwater biographies, Goldberg's fair and impartial analysis of Goldwater's successes and foibles was a refreshing read.

First-hand interviews, existing documentation, and family information gives the reader a remarkable view into Goldwater's extraordinary life.

Highly recommended.

Dispite my mild dissappointment with the author, I enjoyed gaining greater insight into my political hero. While I do not consider myself qualified to critique anyone's writing ability, the author too frequently repeats certain otherwise interesting Goldwater quotes. Unfortunately, this impression will compete with my overall favorable feeling.

I happened to read this encomium to the late Senator Goldwater in the midst of the Presidential election imbroglio. Senator Goldwater's dignity, candor, courage and conviction stand in stark contrast with the crass self-interest of many of today's leaders, and their policy-by-poll approach to governance.

Barry Goldwater is one of the most misunderstood leaders of his generation . . . his consistently literal interpretation of the Constitution and unwavering fealty to the Rule of Law caricatured by a press with a penchant for oversimplification, and a viciously cut-throat LBJ political machine (aided by the Rockefeller wing of the GOP). It was only in the twilight of his life that this political giant was accorded the respect he deserves.

This book is spectacular...it gives an in-depth view into the life of Barry Goldwater, one of the founders of conservatism in America. What an interesting look at his life and accomplishments. Wonderfully written!

Barry Goldwater was a politician who wrote a book called the conscience of a conservative. It proposed a number of positions which were popular in the extreme right wing of American Politics in the 60's. Barry stood against Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and was trounced.

After that he continued to be a senator for many years. As he grew older his economic ideas remained unchanged but he never joined the rest of the right as it moved to be concerned with Abortion and civil decay as witnessed by the growing acceptance of homosexuality. Goldwater as a person seems to have been honest open and in his personal qualities admirable.

The author of this book is a conservative. He believes that Goldwater was perhaps something that he was not. That is a casual factor in the shift to the right of American politics. A far more convincing argument for America's shift to the right is Lydon Johnon's civil rights legislation which changed the old south from a one party democratic province to a two party state. Added to this were the problems that Jimmy Carter had as a president.

Goldwaters ideas for America in 1964 were just dumb. (Which is not to say that the man himself was dumb. The world is a complex place and to work out solutions to political problems is never easy) He supported the continuation of a policy of states rights. This policy meant in practice not using federal power to achieve integration. It is clear that Goldwater was not a racist and his commitment to this policy rested on his ideas of government rather than on the true place of Black Americans. His policy however would have delayed the end of segregation for ever. The Jim Crow political structures in the South disenfranchised those voters who would want change. Further he believed that American should fight a conventional war against Vietnam to end the Vietnam war. Further that bombing should be used against Hanoi and civilian infrastructure. Such a policy had the very real danger of involving China in the conflict. His political instinct also lacked sophistication. He was a person who had been elected in Arizona a small state. He had no real idea of the sorts of compromises that were needed to achieve higher office. Of course his refusal to compromise were part of his charm to his supporters.

The book is interesting as it is about an interesting man. However the writing is so insular it is annoying. One can understand the author may not like the moderately left wing governments that had been in the 50's and 60's but to call them socialist or big spending lacks an understanding of what those terms mean. In Sweden the government controls some 65% of the GDP. The Labour Party of England in the 40's nationalized the steel industry the coal industry and all of public transport. The United States has never had a either a Labour or Socialist Party. Trade Unions were restricted in their activities to the 30's.

Lee Edwards' biography of Barry Goldwater is obviously sympathetic, but the scholarship is still quite solid. Edwards' sources are strong and diverse: interviews, oral histories, books, manuscripts, government documents, personal papers, etc. Edwards uses particularly well Goldwater's two autobiographies: 1979's With No Apologies and 1988's Goldwater (with Jack Casserly). Edwards dives into these books, comparing and contrasting, and comes up with some great insights.

Edwards is obviously a conservative and Goldwater sympathizer, but that doesn't detract from the book significantly. Two small areas where it does: (1) his treatment of the booing of Nelson Rockefeller at the GOP convetion is *very* confusing. He tries to say how Goldwater is not to blame, but ends up ruining the whole narrative. I actually had to consult Theodore White's "Making of the President, 1964" to figure out what really happened. (2) Some of his terms might be considered offensive (ie. Edwards has harsh words for homosexuals). In general, however, Edwards stays well away from mushy admiration for Goldwater and the other extreme, outright hatred, which you might get from some liberals. The result is a sympathetic, but honest and comprehensive account of Goldwater's life, and an effort to put his life into some overall framework.

(Addendum) 1/14/2002. The recent publication of Rick Perlstein's "Before the Storm" gives Goldwater readers an absolutely unbiased history of Goldwater and the conservative movement. If Edwards is a bit too partisan for you, I suggest that one instead.

Lee Edwards has a wonderful writing style. I found it quite easy to get sucked into this biography and relive the events he describes. There are very few books that I can honestly say were hard to put down - this definitely is one of them. As far as the subject of discussion, Barry Goldwater, he was a brilliant man. He was well ahead of his time and clearly understood problems that only today we are beginning to appreciate. Goldwater was indeed a visionary who established the fiscal tenets of modern conservatism that eventually established the foundation for Ronald Reagan. Goldwater was a rare breed - one who spoke his mind no matter the cost - and for that was admired and adored by many. Some of those "many" are today living testimony to the inspiration of Barry Goldwater. Yet, Barry Goldwater was also an enigma in that he defied conservatives later in his political life. He always remained a stalwart supporter of limited government, less taxes, maximum freedom, and personal responsibility. But in later years, he became discontent with the Republican Party when he perceived social conservatives as trying to use government to impose their narrow interpretation of morality and goodness. He apparently despised the use of government in this fashion just as much as he despised its use to redistribute wealth and engage in social engineering. Edwards believes that Goldwater was a Libertarian who only had the opportunity to show his full colors when social conservatives tried to use the GOP to further its moral goals. Perhaps Goldwater didn't really change all that much but rather the Republican Party drifted from his premise of smaller government in all respects. Despite these later differences, Goldwater was a class act and will probably always remain the icon for modern conservatism. I highly recommend this book to those who are interested in the history of the modern conservative movement. While the book is fairly lengthy, Edwards does a fantastic job of making it interesting and captive, such that it seems to make the pages fly by.

This is an easily readable and well balanced biography of a man whose love of the land where he was born enabled him to guide the development of the state to its economic heights of today. Tthe author is a history professor at Arizona State. He has well researched his material and had access to Goldwater's papers as well. A fine gift for Democrat or Republican or anyone interested in the development of the state.

And that should set you straight...

Ronald Reagan said of this book that "everyone in America should read this frank accounting of backstage Washington by an honest man. With No Apologies is required reading for those who want to know the inner workings of the political world." Of course, Reagan was on his way to senility, and that should tell you something.

Consign this one to the ash-heap of history.

As everyone sadly knows, Barry Goldwater -- never a quitter -- failed to quit while he was ahead. No one will ever know, I guess, whether he became senile in his old age; but as time progressed, the fierce champion of the Right became more and more the gadfly, happily reveling in taking obhorrent Leftist stands and letting the media use him, laughing at him all the while.

These memoirs are Goldwater before the fall, the man who gave us the modern conservative movement, still in rare form and fighting the good fight. Published in 1979, they include not only his political thoughts but his autobiography too (the book is worth buying simply for Goldwater's recounting of the Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missile Crisis, which have not generally been reported as this Armed Services Committee member actually witnessed them).

Ronald Reagan said of this book that "everyone in America should read this frank accounting of backstage Washington by an honest man. With No Apologies is required reading for those who want to know the inner workings of the political world." I couldn't agree more; and we may all be deeply grateful that the good Senator gave us this tome before his decline began.

Senator Barry M. Goldwater in this book of memoirs provides us with important background information to much of what was going on in Washington in the years in which he represented Arizona in the Senate. I found especially interesting and informative his discussions of the McCarthy era, his unsuccessful race against Lyndon Johnston for President in 1964, and the fall of the Nixon presidency. Goldwater was one of the most vocal representatives of conservatism before the rise of neo-conservatism, and much conservative wisdom and common sense can be found in this book.