America Comes of Middle Age: Columns 1950-1962

America Comes of Middle Age collects Murray Kempton's newspaper columns from 1950-1962, documenting social and political changes during a pivotal era in U.S. history. The columns originally appeared in the New York Post, where Kempton served as a regular columnist covering major events and cultural shifts of the period. The work spans the Korean War, McCarthyism, the Civil Rights Movement, and the early years of the Cold War through Kempton's observations as a journalist. His writings move between Washington politics, labor unions, social movements, and profiles of both prominent figures and everyday Americans. As a collection, these columns chronicle America's transition from post-war confidence into a more complex national identity during the mid-20th century. The work stands as both historical record and commentary on American society wrestling with questions of power, justice, and progress during a transformative decade.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Murray Kempton's overall work: Readers praise Kempton's precision with language and ability to find humanity in political movements. Reviews frequently note his talent for crafting memorable character portraits of both major figures and everyday people caught in historical events. Readers appreciate: - Complex moral perspectives without clear heroes/villains - Literary quality of his journalism - Deep research and historical context - Balanced treatment of opposing viewpoints Common criticisms: - Dense writing style that requires careful reading - Some find his prose overly ornate - Historical references can be difficult to follow without background knowledge Review data is limited, with few ratings on major platforms: - Goodreads: "Part of Our Time" averages 4.1/5 stars (17 ratings) - Amazon: "Rebellions, Perversities and Main Events" 4.5/5 stars (6 ratings) One Goodreads reviewer noted: "His portraits bring forgotten figures of the 1930s back to vivid life." An Amazon reader described his style as "challenging but rewarding - like reading Henry James doing political journalism."

The Kingdom and the Power by Gay Talese This insider account chronicles the people and politics of The New York Times during the same era Kempton wrote about, revealing how journalism shaped American culture in the mid-20th century.

The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam The book examines the key political figures and decision-makers of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations through detailed reporting and character studies.

The Powers That Be by David Halberstam This work documents the rise of modern media empires and their influence on American politics from the 1950s through the 1970s.

Making It by Norman Podhoretz The memoir provides a first-hand view of New York intellectual life and political journalism in the 1950s and early 1960s.

The End of Ideology by Daniel Bell This collection of essays analyzes the social and political transformations in post-war America through the lens of changing ideological movements.

🔹 Murray Kempton won the Pulitzer Prize for his columns in 1985, though this particular collection focuses on his earlier work from the McCarthy era and the dawn of the Civil Rights movement. 🔹 The book's title reflects America's transition from post-war optimism to the more complex social and political awareness of the 1960s, capturing the nation during a crucial period of maturation. 🔹 Kempton began his career as a labor reporter and maintained strong connections to the labor movement throughout his life, which influenced many of the perspectives in these columns. 🔹 Despite being a prominent liberal voice, Kempton was known for surprising readers by defending unlikely figures, including Richard Nixon and Jimmy Hoffa, showing his commitment to looking beyond partisan lines. 🔹 The columns in this collection were written during Kempton's time at the New York Post, when it was still a liberal newspaper under the ownership of Dorothy Schiff, before Rupert Murdoch purchased it in 1976.