Descended from families that created the United States, the White Anglo-Saxon Protestants nonetheless felt themselves stunted by a civilization that thwarted their higher aspirations at every turn. Yet out of the neurotic ruins, a group of patriots emerged, devoted to public service and the renewal of society. In a groundbreaking study, Michael Knox Beran brings the stories of Henry Adams and Henry Stimson, Learned Hand and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney to life. For all their faults, Beran suggests, they pointed to the dream of a new life.

"A colorful survey, Beran stuffs the account with juicy details. This is a rewarding study of a vital yet slippery aspect of American history and culture."—Publishers Weekly