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Title: Dense and dull for the adverage reader
Review: I read the Perils of Prosperity for a History class. It was hard to get through, extremely dry, and at times extremely unclear. Leuchtenburg does not attempt to insert any life or interest into the stories of many interesting people, but instead blathers on in a detached style, leaving the reader bored to tears. He also assumes social knowledge of the reader, by making reference to explain points, which are completely useless and confusing to those who have not read the work he's referencing. Also, sometimes, Leuchtenburg just annoyed me. In the chapter on the Scopes Trial, the book mentions William Jennings Bryant saying that Jonah was swallowed by a fish. Leuchtenburg then haughtily points out that in the story, Jonah was ACTUALLY swallowed by a whale. The only problem? The Bible actually does say "fish". Nobody likes a know it all, and they're even less appealing when they don't do their research.
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