Even-handed treatment gives a balanced appraisal of this period. The bad and the good is weighed judiciously. For many American this was an age of progress and promise while for others fear and frustration characterized this period. T he author does not overemphasize the failings of the Gilded Age. Imaginative, comprehensive presentation of the political, social, economic, and cultural history of this period. Good synthesis of the political-economic, social, and cultural forces that defined and shaped the Gilded Age. Accessible for undergraduates. Most books on the Gilded Age are not written for undergraduates.

The author succeeds in making this book both accessible and engaging. Includes all the newest scholarship on this most complex era. Engaging and entertaining narrative . Entertaining and informative examples and analogies are used throughout the book. The author deftly indicates how the past mirrors contemporary concerns.