This is a really great overview of conservative American thought in the 20th century。 For many readers， I don't think the overall story is anything particularly new， but to put these changes in a readable narrative is what makes this book stand out。 One might understand the differences between conservatives and liberals in the 1920s-1930s， but to see how these larger transitions function through the 1960s and past really paints a picture on a grand scale。In my view， the best chapters were the mi This is a really great overview of conservative American thought in the 20th century。 For many readers， I don't think the overall story is anything particularly new， but to put these changes in a readable narrative is what makes this book stand out。 One might understand the differences between conservatives and liberals in the 1920s-1930s， but to see how these larger transitions function through the 1960s and past really paints a picture on a grand scale。In my view， the best chapters were the middle chapters on the 1960s and 1970s。 Continetti does a great job describing Buckley and the rising conservative movement in the face of 1960s liberalism and Vietnam。 It might be the history that is least known to general readers。 Everyone who picks this up will know Reagan's appeal and the Trump phenomenon， but the "grassroots" of the project often gets left behind。 Continetti also does a great job trying to explain the transition to Trump。 Although such recent history when written should always been seen as a first draft， he does a great job of starting a larger conversation for historians。 If someone is looking to understand how we go from small government Hoover to small government through large government intervention with Trump， I think this can lay out a great answer。 。。。more