Purdum, Todd S

"Even before they joined forces, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II had written dozens of Broadway shows, but together they pioneered a new art form: the serious musical play. Their songs and dance numbers served to advance the drama and reveal character, a sharp break from the past and the template on which all future musicals would be built"--Amazon.

"Recounts the dramatic political battle to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964"--Provided by publisher.

Draws on the resources and reportage of "The New York Times" to trace the war in Iraq from the first rumblings after September 11, 2001, to the diplomatic recriminations at the United Nations, to the battles themselves and their aftermath.