Given the popularity of the punditry to release books with a blueprint for taking back America, I fully expected R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.’s After the Hangover: The Conservatives’ Road to Recovery to follow the pattern set out by Sean Hannity and Newt Gingrich.

While he does devote a few chapters to the his ideas towards a conservative ascendancy, Tyrrell writes a part history, part memoirs of observing and participating in the conservative movement since the 1960s.

Having grown up in the conservative movement, I know my history loosely, but only lately have I focused on the philosophical roots and history of the movement. Tyrrell’s book aligns more closely with Levin’s Liberty and Tyranny and Jonah Goldberg’s Liberal Fascism.

As a colleague of William F. Buckley, Tyrrell has spent the last few decades at the center of the vast right-wing conspiracy. His tightly written book with the occasional snarky comment is a fascinating read. He details the difference between a liberal and modern-day progressive Liberal, and a conservatives as the modern version of a classical liberal.

Having worked in the philanthropy field for a number of years, I appreciated his focus on the development of think tanks in the movement. Since I’ve worked with a number of these in the past, it was fascinating to see how they were developed.

Tyrrell doesn’t mince words when he dislikes someone or something. He correctly asserts repeatedly that conservatism worked in the past because conservatives worked together. Now, writers, pundits, personalities, bloggers, journalists, etc. are willing to attack friends and colleagues to get ahead. In order to make the current groundswell last, we need to collaborate not fight.

Not surprisingly, Tyrrell goes after what he calls “RCs” (reformed conservatives). The ones who jumped ship in 2008 and are now slowly crawling back. At the top of his list: David Frum and David Brooks (whom he calls the Davidians), Christopher Buckley and Ross Douthat.

My favorite part of After the Hangover was Tyrrell’s focus on the engaging in the culture war. As he describes, Democrats have greater political libido and will wage a war on all fronts. Conservatives have completely disengaged in popular culture. While counter-culture movements are emerging thanks to the web, the right purposely chose not to take action.

Tyrrell describes how President Reagan was warned that movement conservatives needed to get beyond politics to win the hearts and minds of Americans, but the Reagan White House and conservative leaders decided not to pursue cultural outreach.

This has led to a stranglehold of culture by the left, which is why Hollywood, music, books, entertainment and the news media are all left-wing. Conservatives missed their shot to get involved.

I’d highly recommend this entertaining and informative book. It fills the niches of memoirs, history and political analysis.

Per compliance with the FTC, I agreed to review this book for Thomas Nelson Publishing through BookSneeze. In return, they provided a complimentary copy.