The Inheritance: How Three Families and America Moved from Roosevelt to Reagan and Beyond

Samuel G. Freedman traces the story of three families to show how America moved from supporting New Deal policies to cheering the end of big government. It's an effective vehicle that brings a real-life, personal look to a generational sweep of American politics. The families started out as hard-working immigrants--one Irish, one Italian, one Polish--and became, by the third generation, professionals active in conservative politics. How does a family make the transformation from one that couldn't have survived the Great Depression without the W.P.A. or bought a house without the G.I. Bill to one that has turned against welfare? Read this fascinating account and find out.