From the late 1990s until the mid-2010s, conservatives used the rallying slogan of, “What would Reagan do?” as a call to arms on the Federal budget, on taxes, on foreign affairs, and on the government’s role in our lives. He was held up as the beacon for what a president, a governor, a state legislator or a candidate for any office should try to be. George W. Bush modeled his presidency on honoring Reagan and avoiding the political mistakes his made by his father. But that has changed in the Trump era. Reagan’s conservative example is no strived to emulate nearly as often. On this episode, Max Boot explains why, and what it says about the presidency and life of Ronald Reagan.

Max Boot is on social media at https://x.com/MaxBoot

Max Boot's website can be found at https://www.maxboot.net/

Information on his book can be found at https://wwnorton.com/books/9780871409447

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**A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

"Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

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From the publisher: A comprehensive and engaging oral history of the decade that defined the feminist movement, including interviews with living icons and unsung heroes – from former Newsweek reporter and author of the “powerful and moving” (New York Times) Witness to the Revolution.

For lovers of both Barbie and Gloria Steinem, The Movement is the first oral history of the decade that built the modern feminist movement. Through the captivating individual voices of the people who lived it, The Movement tells the intimate inside story of what it felt like to be at the forefront of the modern feminist crusade, when women rejected thousands of years of custom and demanded the freedom to be who they wanted and needed to be.

This engaging history traces women’s awakening, organizing, and agitating between the years of 1963 and 1973, when a decentralized collection of people and events coalesced to create a spontaneous combustion. From Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, to the underground abortion network the Janes, to Shirley Chisolm’s presidential campaign and Billie Jean King’s 1973 battle of the sexes, Bingham artfully weaves together the fragments of that explosion person by person, bringing to life the emotions of this personal, cultural, and political revolution. Artists and politicians, athletes and lawyers, Black and white, The Movement brings readers into the rooms where these women insisted on being treated as first class citizens, and in the process, changed the fabric of American life.

Information on her book from Simon & Schuster can be found at https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Movement/Clara-Bingham/9781982144210

Clara is on social media at https://x.com/CYBingham

Clara's website is at https://www.clarabingham.com/

Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

**A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

"Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

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The first thing a president must do is swear to uphold the Constitution. But what happens when they betray that promise? Corey Brettschneider argues that it takes ordinary citizens to not only reign them in, but to make sure it never happens again. In "The Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It," Professor Brettschneider profiles John Adams, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson and Richard Nixon, and explains how they fought to protect the American ideal of equality, for only a few Americans. From suspending the right to free speech, the right to vote and the right to enjoy freedom itself, Brettschneider shows how presidents have stepped out of bounds, and also how ordinary Americans insisted the country belongs to all.

Information on his book can be found at https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324006275

His website is https://www.coreybrettschneider.com/

He is on social media at https://x.com/brettschneiderc?lang=en

Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

**A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

"Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

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Three-thousand miles. Fourteen states. Seven hundred towns. Two spouses. One Winnebago. Francis Barry and his wife, Laurel, took a trip across the Lincoln Highway from New York to San Francisco during the height of the pandemic, and during the height of the 2020 election. Their project was to figure out America by driving along the route that was first established more than a hundred years ago as a way to show off America. On this episode, we discuss his book, "Back Roads and Better Angels" to find out what makes America tick, what has kept the most diverse country in the world together, even through the toughest of times?

He is on social media at https://x.com/FSBarry

His website is https://www.fsbarry.com/

Information on his book from Steer Forth Press can be found at https://steerforth.com/product/back-roads-and-better-angels-9781586423889/

Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

**A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

"Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

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George Washington is often given the lionshare of the credit when it comes to establishing the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power in the United States. But in her new book, "Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic," Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky argues that the second president also deserves a healthy portion of credit. Adams understood that he could never measure up to Washington, but he did understand that a strong, democratic nation would depend on his ability to consider his country over his party. Dr. Chervinsky shows that while Adams made political mistakes that made him unappealing to elect for a second term, he weathered both foreign and domestic crises in ways that made the presidency, and thus, the young republic, stronger.

Information on Dr. Chervinsky's book can be found at https://www.lindsaychervinsky.com/

We discussed her book, "The Cabinet," on this episode
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axelbank-reports-history-and-today/id1521053272?i=1000494574017

We discussed her co-edited book, "Mourning the Presidents," on this episode
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axelbank-reports-history-and-today/id1521053272?i=1000601993613

Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

**A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

"Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

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From the publisher, Roaring Book Press: Witch Hunt: The Cold War, Joe McCarthy, and the Red Scare provides a gripping account of one of the most tumultuous periods in American history. Authors Dr. Andrea Balis and Elizabeth Levy delve into Senator Joe McCarthy's infamous hunt for communists during the 1950s Red Scare. Originally written for young adult and teen audiences, the book is written in a unique screenplay-style format with rich illustrations and includes interviews with individuals who recalled their childhood experiences of McCarthyism. With meticulous research and attention to detail, The authors shed light on the human stories behind historical events, filling in the critical gaps in historical knowledge, ensuring that the lessons of the past are not forgotten in today's rapidly changing world.

Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

**A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

"Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

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At the dawn of the 20th Century, the center of city life could be found at department stores. One could find the latest fashion, meet friends for a cup of coffee, mail a letter, and escape the hustle of every day life. Julie Satow shows how three women made department stores not just the place to be, but into an engine of cultural change. She also explores how the women challenged gender norms to build high-flying businesses that would impact World War II, New York City, and the future of consumerism. Julie also shows how social media has changed the lives of writers, who now must focus on being successful in several mediums for their books to become bestsellers.

Her previous appearance on our show, where we discussed her book, "The Plaza" can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axelbank-reports-history-and-today/id1521053272?i=1000488745167

Information on Julie Satow's book can be found at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/707784/when-women-ran-fifth-avenue-by-julie-satow/

Julie Satow's website can be found at https://juliesatow.com/

Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

**A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

"Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

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On this episode, Adam Higginbotham brings us back to the moment that many say they will never forget, but also to a moment that is filled with misconception and myth. When the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986, seven astronauts lost their lives and NASA was confronted with its biggest failure. Higginbotham shows us how the space program chose to remember those lost, rebuild faith in its mission, and how NASA persisted as a larger reflection of American culture. Higginbotham also explains how our memories of Challenger aren't necessarily what happened. His book is the first in nearly forty years that attempts to present an accurate portrayal of what happened and the impact it has had.

Adam Higginbotham's website can be found at https://www.adamhigginbotham.com/

He is on social media at https://twitter.com/HigginbothamA

Information on his book from Simon & Schuster can be found at https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Midnight-in-Chernobyl/Adam-Higginbotham/9781501134630

Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

**A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

"Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

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https://facebook.com/axelbankhistory