One Nation, Two Cultures: A Searching Examination of American Society in the Aftermath of Our Cultural Revolution

by Gertrude Himmelfarb

Book Overview

From one of today's most respected historians and cultural critics comes a new book examining the gulf in American society--a division that cuts across class, racial, ethnic, political and sexual lines. One side originated in the tradition of republican virtue, the other in the counterculture of the late 1960s. Himmelfarb argues that, while the latter generated the dominant culture of today-particularly in universities, journalism, television, and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375704108
• ISBN13: 9780375704109
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Length: 210 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Gertrude Himmelfarb, Master of Culture

I recently read Mrs. Himmelfarb's book and was thoroughly impressed by its cogent and well supported arguments. The book provides valuable information for both cultural conservatives and cultural liberals. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in an intelligent examination of modern American culture.

The Cultural Truth Not Minced With Political Correctness

This is a must read for anyone interested in the truth about American culture today. Ms. Himmelfarb provides an excellent description of our very distinct class system, which is much different from previous class systems in history. She touches on how Adam Smith and Marx addressed classic class systems and how the whole class notion has become so very convoluted in today's environment. The book is well written. However, it is not written in traditional academia speak, even though she has admirable qualifications in the field. I was pleasantly surprised to see the honest truth, absent the current PC socialist rhetoric, from someone who has spent their career inside of academia. Although she provides an excellent description of the current cultural malaise, she comes up a little short on the root causes and only devotes a few pages to predictions.All-in-all it should be read by all those who are interested in the truth.

An excellent survey of modern times and American culture.

Gertrude Himmelfarb's One Nation, Two Cultures considers the growth and ideals of American society after its cultural revolution in the 1960s. From religion and family concepts to changes in the legal and social structure of American society, this provides an excellent survey of modern times.

A balanced, thought-provoking analysis....

It is amazing what a skilled writer with intellect can do within a realatively few pages. Professor Gertrude Himmelfarb does an incredible, balanced analysis of the tumultuous changes that have polarized many American cultural writers into ideologues. She reduces this polarization to simplicity without offending the staunchest zealot. Her basic premise is that the formerly dominant American culture has become the disssident culture and the formerly dissident culture has become the dominant culture. She discusses some of the resulting consequences.She begins with an insightful historical perspective and then tackles tough American issues such as Civil Society, the Family, the Law and Polity, and Religion. She concludes with a summary of the ethics gap between the two cultures and some modest predictions. A fascinating read.One reviewer called the book "A coherent, devastating attack." Another called it "An elegant , literate defense of nineteenth-century English mores and morals." It is much more. It will make you wonder what the future has in store for us....

Typically Astute Insight

Professor Himmelfarb lays out in words what most Americans have known in varying degrees: there is a cultural divide between Americans that seems to evade an obvious or cohesive solution (at least for the time being). Her descriptions of this divide are unambiguous, and she speculates on possible solutions to the problem. There is no question that the 'everything must be permissible or we are not free' trend has had devastating effects on women and children in our society, and she provides perspectives on potential solutions. How do we balance the safety and well-being of our children (and therefore our future) without imposing unreasonable limits on individual freedom? Are any limits acceptable, or must we self-destruct in a distorted kamikaze defense of individual license? The greatest benefit of this book is to define the problem in a clear and intensely interesting way. As in her other work, Professor Himmelfarb never disappoints.