One of the most authoritative texts on modern America, this concise, readable survey of twentieth century American history has been a reliable source for more than twenty years. The text has evolved from a book which primarily covered political and diplomatic history to one which devotes considerable space to areas of special interest such as African American history, women's history, urbanization, the role of ethnic groups, changing sexual mores, the power of corporations and the conflict of economic groups, and trends in regional and national values. The author offers contemporary interpretations and presents various sides of controversial issues.
James T. Patterson is an American historian, who was the Ford Foundation Professor of History at Brown University for 30 years. He was educated at Harvard University. His research interests include political history, legal history, and social history, as well as the history of medicine, race relations, and education.