Skip to main content

The Perils of Prosperity, 1914-1932

Second Edition

Beginning with Woodrow Wilson and U.S. entry into World War I and closing with the Great Depression, The Perils of Prosperity traces the transformation of America from an agrarian, moralistic, isolationist nation into a liberal, industrialized power involved in foreign affairs in spite of itself.

William E. Leuchtenburg’s lively yet balanced account of this hotly debated era in American history has been a standard text for many years. This substantial revision gives greater weight to the roles of women and minorities in the great changes of the era and adds new insights into literature, the arts, and technology in daily life. He has also updated the lists of important dates and resources for further reading.

“This book gives us a rare opportunity to enjoy the matured interpretation of an American Historian who has returned to the story and seen how recent decades have added meaning and vividness to this epoch of our history.”—Daniel J. Boorstin, from the Preface

332 pages | 5-1/4 x 8 | © 1993

The Chicago History of American Civilization

History: American History

Table of Contents

Editor’s Foreword to the Second Edition
Editor’s Foreword to the First Edition
Prologue
1. Armageddon
2. Innocents Abroad
3. The Fourteenth Point
4. Red Scare
5. The Politics of Normalcy
6. The Reluctant Giant
7. Tired Radicals
8. A Botched Civilization
9. The Revolution in Morals
10. The Second Industrial Revolution
11. Political Fundamentalism
12. The Sidewalks of New York
13. Smashup
Epilogue
Important Dates
Suggested Reading
Acknowledgments
Index

Be the first to know

Get the latest updates on new releases, special offers, and media highlights when you subscribe to our email lists!

Sign up here for updates about the Press