Book Reviews
[I't took just over a year of negotiations and compromises, both inside and outside of Congress, for the bill to become law. Risen does his best to infuse drama into a story that is already a matter of the historical record. Fortunately, Risen is adept at weaving in juicy snippets of conversation and his fluid prose mutes some of the wonkiness in the political-process narrative.
Publishers Weekly
Arguably, Risen's most important contribution is revealing that J. Irwin Miller and the National Council of Churches—tireless lay and ministerial advocates—served as the act's moral conscience, and that it likely would not have passed without the resulting groundswell of public support. Risen adds deputy U.S. Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach to the roster of unsung heroes. —Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA
Library Journal
A journalist's in-depth, behind-the-scenes account of the unsung congressional and White House heroes who helped the Civil Rights Act become the law of the land.... It makes for scrupulous accuracy but also slow, labyrinthine reading. Well-researched but sometimes tedious.
Kirkus Reviews
Bill of the Century (Risen) - Book Reviews
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