Wilentz, the eminent Princeton historian, argues that for the past thirty-five years U.S. political history has been defined by the new politics of conservatism brokered by its major powerhorse, Ronald Reagan. Following an analysis of Reagan's presidency, Wilentz concludes that Reagan not only transformed the stage of geopolitics, but also the American judiciary and government bureaucracy, while lifting the hearts of Americans who lived through Vietnam and Carter years.

Introduction -- Prologue: July 4, 1976 -- Memories of the Ford administration -- Détente and its discontents -- Jimmy Carter and the agonies of anti-politics -- Human rights and democratic collapse -- New morning -- Confronting the Evil Empire -- "Call it mysticism if you will" -- "We have an undercover thing" : the Iran-Contra Affair -- "Another time, another era" -- Reaganism and realism -- The politics of Clintonism -- Clinton's comeback -- Animosities and interest : the impeachment of Clinton -- Irreparable harm : the election of 2000 -- Epilogue: October 13, 2001.