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Demagogue : the life and long shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy / Larry Tye.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020Copyright date: ©2020Description: 597 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates ; illustrations ; 24 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781328959720
  • 1328959724
Other title:
  • Life and long shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy
Subject(s): Genre/Form: Additional physical formats: Online version:: DemagogueDDC classification:
  • 328.73/092 B 23
LOC classification:
  • E748.M143 T94 2020
Contents:
Preface -- A Joe McCarthy chronology -- Author's note -- Coming alive -- Senator who? -- An ism is born -- Bully's pulpit -- Behind closed doors -- The body count -- The enablers -- Too big to bully -- The fall -- Epilogue.
Summary: "The definitive biography of the most dangerous demagogue in American history, based on first-ever access to his personal and professional papers, medical and military records, and recently-unsealed transcripts of his closed-door Congressional hearings."-- Provided by publisher.Summary: From 1950 to 1954 Joe McCarthy destroyed many careers and even entire lives, whipping the nation into a frenzy of paranoia, accusation, loyalty oaths, and terror. When the public finally turned on him, he came crashing down, dying of alcoholism in 1957. Tye shows that McCarthy was a tireless worker and a genuine war hero. But his ambitions knew few limits, and neither did his socializing, his drinking, nor his gambling. When he finally made it to the Senate he angered many with his lack of integrity. After he hit upon anti-communism as his agenda, McCarthy became the most influential and controversial man in America. His chaotic, meteoric rise-- and sudden fall from fame-- are charted through access to his personal and professional papers, medical and military records, and recently unsealed transcripts of his closed-door Congressional hearings. -- adapted from jacket
Fiction notes: Click to open in new window
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Dr. James Carlson Library Biography MCCARTHY J. T979 Available 33111009749371
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The definitive biography of the most dangerous demagogue in American history, based on first-ever review of his personal and professional papers, medical and military records, and recently unsealed transcripts of his closed-door Congressional hearings



In the long history of American demagogues, from Huey Long to Donald Trump, never has one man caused so much damage in such a short time as Senator Joseph McCarthy. We still use "McCarthyism" to stand for outrageous charges of guilt by association, a weapon of polarizing slander. From 1950 to 1954, McCarthy destroyed many careers and even entire lives, whipping the nation into a frenzy of paranoia, accusation, loyalty oaths, and terror. When the public finally turned on him, he came crashing down, dying of alcoholism in 1957. Only now, through bestselling author Larry Tye's exclusive look at the senator's records, can the full story be told.



Demagogue is a masterful portrait of a human being capable of immense evil, yet beguiling charm. McCarthy was a tireless worker and a genuine war hero. His ambitions knew few limits. Neither did his socializing, his drinking, nor his gambling. When he finally made it to the Senate, he flailed around in search of an agenda and angered many with his sharp elbows and lack of integrity. Finally, after three years, he hit upon anti-communism. By recklessly charging treason against everyone from George Marshall to much of the State Department, he became the most influential and controversial man in America. His chaotic, meteoric rise is a gripping and terrifying object lesson for us all. Yet his equally sudden fall from fame offers reason for hope that, given the rope, most American demagogues eventually hang themselves.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface -- A Joe McCarthy chronology -- Author's note -- Coming alive -- Senator who? -- An ism is born -- Bully's pulpit -- Behind closed doors -- The body count -- The enablers -- Too big to bully -- The fall -- Epilogue.

"The definitive biography of the most dangerous demagogue in American history, based on first-ever access to his personal and professional papers, medical and military records, and recently-unsealed transcripts of his closed-door Congressional hearings."-- Provided by publisher.

From 1950 to 1954 Joe McCarthy destroyed many careers and even entire lives, whipping the nation into a frenzy of paranoia, accusation, loyalty oaths, and terror. When the public finally turned on him, he came crashing down, dying of alcoholism in 1957. Tye shows that McCarthy was a tireless worker and a genuine war hero. But his ambitions knew few limits, and neither did his socializing, his drinking, nor his gambling. When he finally made it to the Senate he angered many with his lack of integrity. After he hit upon anti-communism as his agenda, McCarthy became the most influential and controversial man in America. His chaotic, meteoric rise-- and sudden fall from fame-- are charted through access to his personal and professional papers, medical and military records, and recently unsealed transcripts of his closed-door Congressional hearings. -- adapted from jacket

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