Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Blueprints for the Eagle, Star, and Independent by Will Good presents a comprehensive and detailed chronicle of American political evolution, examining the origins, ideological shifts, and pivotal moments that have shaped the nation’s two-party system from Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Era to recent decades. The book traces how the Republican and Democratic parties have responded to internal and external pressures—economic upheavals, wars, social movements, and judicial decisions—and how these influences have molded their current doctrines. The book examines the cyclical nature of political ideology, analyzing how each party's core values have been challenged, reinforced, or compromised through pivotal episodes such as the New Deal, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the Reagan Revolution, and the recent crises of financial collapse and political polarization.

Will Good answers many questions I have about the current political divide. I enjoyed the historical elements and the exploration of the government’s role versus free enterprise, national security versus civil liberties, and tradition versus reform, within a historical context characterized by the enduring tension between these forces. Blueprints for the Eagle, Star, and Independent critically analyzes the ideological evolution, pointing out how party positions have been influenced by figures like Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson, Roosevelt’s successors, and modern leaders like Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump. I was particularly intrigued by the author’s keen observations, especially the increasing disenchantment among citizens, the rise of independent and third-party movements, and the potential for a new political realignment. This book features discussions on key historical moments, from the Progressive Era, through the Great Depression, the Cold War, and into the 21st-century crises, and examines how past decisions continue to influence contemporary American politics. It is an eye-opening and instructive work that should inform future political landscapes in the United States.