Upstream: The Ascendance of American Conservatism - Hardcover

Regnery, Alfred S.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1416522883 ISBN 13: 9781416522881

Publisher: Threshold Editions, 2008

Synopsis

Alfred S. Regnery, the publisher of The American Spectator, has been a part of the American conservative movement since childhood, when his father founded The Henry Regnery Company, which subsequently became Regnery Publishing -- the preeminent conservative publishing house that, among other notable achievements, published William F. Buckley's first book, God and Man at Yale. Including many uniquely personal anecdotes and stories, Regnery himself now boldly chronicles the development of the conservative movement from 1945 to the present.

The outpouring of grief at the funeral of Ronald Reagan in 2004 -- and the acknowledgment that Reagan has come to be considered one of the greatest presidents of the twentieth century -- is Regnery's opening for a fascinating insider story. Beginning at the start of the twentieth century, he shows how in the years prior to and just post World War II, expanding government power at home and the expanding Communist empire abroad inspired conservatives to band together to fight these threats. The founding of the National Review, the drive to nominate Barry Goldwater first as vice-president and later as president, the apparent defeat of the conservative movement at the hands of Lyndon Johnson, and the triumphant rise of Ronald Reagan from the ashes are all chronicled in vivid prose that shows a uniquely intimate knowledge of the key figures. Regnery shares his views on the opposition that formed in response to Earl Warren's Supreme Court rulings, the role of faith (both Roman Catholic and Evangelical) in the renewed vigor of conservatism, and the contributing role of American businessmen who attempted to oppose big government.

Upstream ultimately gives perspective to how the most vibrant political and cultural force of our time has influenced American culture, politics, economics, foreign policy, and all institutions and sectors of American life.

About this title

About the Author:

Alfred S. Regnery is the former president and publisher of Regnery Publishing, Inc., which produced twenty-two New York Times bestsellers during his tenure. Currently, he is the publisher of The American Spectator.

Review:

"Alfred Regnery's book is marvelously thought out and marvelously executed. He gives us paragraphs describing the territory he intends to explore, and suggesting what paths he will examine. He then, in fourteen chapters, gives us history, learning, and delight. I could not imagine that what he took on in this book could have interested and engrossed this old hand and old friend, but he leaves the reader panting with gratitude for his accomplishment, and smiling for his felicity." -- William F. Buckley, Jr.

"Al Regnery, present at the creation of the modern conservative movement as a young boy, has been at its center as a leading book and magazine publisher. His masterful account blends ideological and political development, while vividly portraying the movement's thinkers and activists." -- Robert D. Novak

"The rise of conservatism in the United States over the past half-century has been one of the most important political developments of the age -- not only for America, but for the world. Much has been written about it, most of it under-researched and inaccurate. Alfred S. Regnery has now performed the invaluable task of writing a first-class and fully documented history of the movement. He describes its political and intellectual origins, its inventors, its leaders, its high and low points, and its achievements. He has a lot to say about the books and journals, the columnists and media commentators who drove it forward, and not least about the wealthy people and the foundations that supplied the financial means. In all, this is a valuable addition to our understanding of modern politics." -- Paul Johnson

"Conservatism's long swim upstream into the mainstream has been wonderfully chronicled by Alfred Regnery, whose family has helped every stroke of the way. This is a book about, among many other things, the books that helped change how Americans think, vote, and live." -- George F. Will

About this edition

• Publisher: Threshold Editions
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1416522883
• ISBN 13: 9781416522881
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 464