A Fierce Discontent Audiobook By Michael McGerr cover art

A Fierce Discontent

The Rise and Fall of the Progressive Movement in America, 1870-1920

Preview

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

A Fierce Discontent

By: Michael McGerr
Narrated by: Joe Barrett
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.19

Buy for $17.19

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

The Progressive Era witnessed the nation's most convulsive upheaval, a time of radicalism far beyond the Revolution or anything since. In response to the birth of modern America, one small group of middle-class Americans seized control of the nation and attempted to remake society from bottom to top. They accomplished an astonishing range of triumphs, yet the progressive movement collapsed as the war came to an end amid race riots, strikes, high inflation, and a frenzied Red scare.

Michael McGerr argues the expectations raised by the progressives' Utopian hopes have nagged at us ever since. Our current less-than-epic politics must inevitably disappoint a nation that once thought in epic terms. The New Deal, World War II, the Cold War, the Great Society, and now the war on terrorism have each entailed ambitious plans for America. But the failure of the progressive movement set boundaries around the aspirations of all of these efforts.

None of them was as ambitious, as openly determined to transform people and create utopia, as the progressive movement. We have been forced to think modestly ever since that age of bold reform. For all of us, right, center, and left, the age of "fierce discontent" is long over.

©2003 Michael McGerr (P)2018 Tantor
Philosophy Social Sciences United States Utopian War Equality American History
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about A Fierce Discontent

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    33
  • 4 Stars
    24
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    37
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    29
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Doesn’t cover reform of the government itself

Great exploration of the societal aspects of progressivism but doesn’t cover reform of the government itself (e.g., efforts to address corruption and patronage)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A well balanced take

A straightforward book that covers both the virtues and dark side of the progressive era. It does a great job balancing between political theory and historical detail and anecdotes, making for a smooth listen. I started the book with some specific questions about the relationship between progressivism and liberalism, and the book delivered.

Very much enjoyed the narrator too, who has a refreshingly distinct tone of voice and carries the story well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

If the book was named the Progressive Era, I would have given it higher marks

I enjoyed reading this as a general history of the Progressive Era, Buttressed as a compelling history of the Progressive movement, it fell short. For example, it was very weak on the political aspect of the Progressive movement and also weak on distinguishing how Progressive prejudices differed from routine prejudices throughout world and American history.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!