Rating: 
Summary: Still Good
Review: After reading Party of the People, A History of the Democrats this book seems to fall short. I'm a little disappointed that it starts in the 1850's rather than further exploring the party's whig roots, and also at the lack of detail this book has compared with its counterpart. Both were great reads but Party of the People seems far more detailed and scholarly than this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Great history of the Republican party
Review: Grand Old Party is a well-written account of the history of the Republican party. Although it has a few imperfections, it is still well worth a five-star review.Gould is up front about any potential bias he may have, declaring early on that he is a Democrat. Despite this (or maybe because of this), he has written a reasonably objective history, with his own political slant relatively limited. Most of his criticisms are not so much aimed at particular political viewpoints as with how various Republicans have executed their ideas over the years. Figures such as Taft, Coolidge and Nixon are shown more positively than usual, while Reagan - the supreme deity in the Republican pantheon - is viewed a little more critically. The main theme of this book is the complete shift in political thought that the Republicans have undergone in their 150 years of existence, going from the "liberal" party that was highly nationalistic and an advocate of centralized power to the more conservative party it is today, with its emphasis on states' rights and limited government. Gould traces this transformation and indicates the pivotal points, perhaps none greater than Teddy Roosevelt's splitting of the party in 1912, driving out the more progressive members and shifting the balance within. While a great book, this book is not perfect. In particular, I would have liked a deeper look into the Whigs, who were in many ways the precursors of the Republicans. Nonethless, for those interested in the political history of the U.S., this book - along with its companion history of the Democrats, Party of the People - is a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: Great history of the Republican party
Review: Grand Old Party is a well-written account of the history of the Republican party. Although it has a few imperfections, it is still well worth a five-star review. Gould is up front about any potential bias he may have, declaring early on that he is a Democrat. Despite this (or maybe because of this), he has written a reasonably objective history, with his own political slant relatively limited. Most of his criticisms are not so much aimed at particular political viewpoints as with how various Republicans have executed their ideas over the years. Figures such as Taft, Coolidge and Nixon are shown more positively than usual, while Reagan - the supreme deity in the Republican pantheon - is viewed a little more critically. The main theme of this book is the complete shift in political thought that the Republicans have undergone in their 150 years of existence, going from the "liberal" party that was highly nationalistic and an advocate of centralized power to the more conservative party it is today, with its emphasis on states' rights and limited government. Gould traces this transformation and indicates the pivotal points, perhaps none greater than Teddy Roosevelt's splitting of the party in 1912, driving out the more progressive members and shifting the balance within. While a great book, this book is not perfect. In particular, I would have liked a deeper look into the Whigs, who were in many ways the precursors of the Republicans. Nonethless, for those interested in the political history of the U.S., this book - along with its companion history of the Democrats, Party of the People - is a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: an elephant history
Review: Grand Old Party: A History of the Republicans by Lewis Gould details its rise from an anti-segregationist party to the party perceived today, rightly or wrongly, as anti-african american.
Lewis Gould, emeritus professor of hisory at University of Texas at Austin, effectively tackles this monumental task and delivers a work that is both interesting and informative.
Writing in a fluid, lucid style, the reader is swept from the Reconstruction to the Depression, from protective tariffs to supply-side economics, partaking as observer of events that made and nearly marred the party in its 150 years of existence.
His excellent scholarship and his attention to fact and detail make it worth its weight in 'greenbacks'.
The only drawback is that given its contemporary nature, Gould is unable to give a historical perspective on the GOP from '76 onward.
Yet notwithstanding this inescapable flaw, for a detailed description of the party of Lincoln and Reagan, Blaine and Gingrich, this book is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: A basically fair account
Review: I will admit right away that I am a conservative Republican. I did like the book, but found it grating in some places. Therefore I rate it as a fair account. (Nelson Rockefeller was not Conservative! Michael Dukakis is not a moderate!) I also find it odd that the publisher couldn't get one Republican elected official to review the book. (While the Book on the Democrats has two such reviews.) It is also notable that the Republicans had to suffer disection by a liberal partisan Democrat. The publishers let another liberal Democrat write the book on the Democrats. It struck me as true to life.
Rating:
Summary: A basically fair account
Review: I will admit right away that I am a conservative Republican. I did like the book, but found it grating in some places. Therefore I rate it as a fair account. (Nelson Rockefeller was not Conservative! Michael Dukakis is not a moderate!) I also find it odd that the publisher couldn't get one Republican elected official to review the book. (While the Book on the Democrats has two such reviews.) It is also notable that the Republicans had to suffer disection by a liberal partisan Democrat. The publishers let another liberal Democrat write the book on the Democrats. It struck me as true to life.
Rating: 
Summary: Grand *Old* Party
Review: If you're into a books about old men then this one is definitely for you. Just looking at the cover you can tell these men are really old. I can see where the "Old Party" part comes from but not the "Grand" part.
Rating:
Summary: Grand *Old* Party
Review: If you're into a books about old men then this one is definitely for you. Just looking at the cover you can tell these men are really old. I can see where the "Old Party" part comes from but not the "Grand" part.
Rating:
Summary: Valuable and instructive
Review: Let's just say that my business is politics. I spend my days caught up in the ratrace of partisan political fighting where the news cycles grow ever shorter and always more intense and personal fortunes and careers seem to rise and fall in hours. I don't have a lot of time for reading but when I do read my goal is to gain something from it. I have gained a lot from Lewis L. Gould's GRAND OLD PARTY. It's full of useful political history and insight, and very instructive on the ebb and flow of political power and ideas through American history. Though Gould confesses that his personal political views are not Republican (which is not necessarily to be recommended in my line of work), his biases do not creep through (so long as you're willing to discount the general feeling he conveys that the modern elephants aren't being totally true to their founding principles). Overall, however, his judgment is mature and considered and very deeply informed. This will be a book that stays on the shelf closest to my desk so that I can consult it and keep the crazy pace of work in the capital in perspective.
Rating:
Summary: Great book about the GOP, its leaders and historical context
Review: Lewis Gould has delivered a great standard on the GOP. Although his own views are undeniably liberal, he portrays the presidents and political events of today and the past in a very gripping way. Not only is "Grand Old Party" a must-read for political junkies, it also places the actions and decisions of the republican leaders in its historical context, making the book not just a political volume, but also a great work on American history (from the Civil War).
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