This book covers roughly three years (1973–1976) of American political history. It is less a traditional biography and more a portrait of an era, with four American presidents standing in the foreground. Its focus is supposed to be Ronald Reagan; the title promises that this is the story of his political ascent. But Reagan often falls out of the story completely.

The book opens in 1970 near the end of the Vietnam War. Rick Perlstein introduces his readers to the “suspicious circles,” that large segment of Americans for whom the nation was no longer innocent or just, its leaders no longer trustworthy. This group was a product of 1960s protest movements, especially the widespread disillusionment with the war in Southeast Asia. Opposite them was a group of Americans clingingsentenced on Wednesday to three years in prison for a series of crimes he committed while working for Trump.

Cohen says Trump pushed him to make payments to two women — former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult-film actress Stormy Daniels — to block them in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign from talking about their alleged affairs with Trump more than 10 years ago.

Cohen, who is cooperating in special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE's probe into Russian election meddling and any possible ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow, told ABC News that Mueller's team told