This is a book for historians, journalists—and for all of us who need to remember this turbulent time on our nation's past, and its lessons for today.

Governments and corporations, nonprofits and special interest groups, all have spin doctors trying to turn the news to their advantage. This book examines how this shift came to be and explores the questions it raises about the role of media in a democratic society and the future of journalism.

"The definitive job, and I can't imagine what else there is to say about him."—Walter Lippman "This is an appraisal without apology. If its judgments are uncompromising, they are also given without rancor, indeed with an air of almost sympathetic curiosity about the phenomenon that was McCarthy. . . . It is no surprise that [Rovere's] book is a vividly written, sophisticated recreation of a political episode whose manic qualities already begin to seem unbelievable."—Anthony Lewis

There are so many books on so many aspects of the history of the United States, offering such a wide variety of interpretations, that students, teachers, scholars, and librarians often need help and advice on how to find what they want. The Reader's Guide to American History is designed to meet that need by adopting a new and constructive approach to the appreciation of this rich historiography. Each of the 600 entries on topics in political, social and economic history describes and evaluates some 6 to 12 books on the topic, providing guidance to the reader on everything from broad surveys and interpretive works to specialized monographs. The entries are devoted to events and individuals, as well as broader themes, and are written by a team of well over 200 contributors, all scholars of American history.

The McCarthy Era was the product of Joseph McCarthy, one of the most notorious politicians in United States history. Obsessed with routing out communists, McCarthy persecuted thousands of innocent Americans, destroying careers and ruining many lives. His tactics of making public accusations based on innuendo instead of proof became known as McCarthyism. From the time he was a child growing up in Wisconsin, McCarthy burned with ambition. As a teenager he started his own business; he earned his high school diploma in less than a year; and he became the youngest circuit court judge in state history. When he was elected to the U.S. Senate, he became the youngest senator in Congress. By the 1950s, average Americans viewed communism as a direct threat to their democratic way of life. McCarthy played on those fears to persecute anyone suspected of having communist affiliations. His crusade brought him power and fame—and ultimately led to his stunning public downfall.

Joe McCarthy was headed towards a career as a plumber--until the parish priest intervened, and convinced McCarthy's mother that he could make more of himself in baseball. She relented, and Joseph Vincent McCarthy embarked on a career that ranks him among the greatest managers ever. In 24 years his teams took nine pennants, seven World Series titles, and never finished lower than fourth. This biography of Joe McCarthy details the 90-year life of one of the greatest managers in baseball's history. Baseball was McCarthy's ticket out of a working-class existence in Germantown, Pennsylvania, taking him to college, the minor leagues, managerial stints in baseball's backwaters, and on to remarkable years with the Yankees, Cubs and Red Sox--years filled with triumph and heartbreak. Seven championships and the highest managerial winning percentage ever earned him entry to the Hall of Fame, but McCarthy will always be remembered for his deft handling of his players. McCarthy's ability to handle even "unmanageable" players won him the respect of all. His effect on the lives of his young charges was, in his mind, his greatest legacy.

1950: U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy starts on his path of exposing communists inside the United States Government, dedicating himself to such a task without regard for the livelihoods and/or reputations of those he felt were a threat to the United States. Regarded least of all by this crusading politician is his beautiful wife Lady Constantina Chatterley of British Royalty who doesnt enjoy the lonely days and nights spent at his Virginia estate. She has also been warned against doing anything which may create a scandal for him. She eventually discovers other forms of entertainment (and other men) to enjoy but then finds herself in the crosshairs of those who oppose her husband: tabloid photographers, people hes vilified and foreign agents seeking a Cold War advantage over their American enemy.

Journalism and the American Experience offers a comprehensive examination of the critical role journalism has played in the struggle over America’s democratic institutions and culture. Journalism is central to the story of the nation’s founding and has continued to influence and shape debates over public policy, American exceptionalism, and the meaning and significance of the United States in world history. Placed at the intersection of American Studies and Communications scholarship, this book provides an essential introduction to journalism’s curious and conflicted co-existence with the American democratic experiment.