Events are mostly anecdotal, punctuated by Brokaw's editorializing.  He decries the partisan nature of the present day. Brokaw is a perceptive interviewer and has honest interest in what people have to say.  There are commentaries from Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and Karl Rowe, to name a few.

Brokaw approaches the subject with warmth, curiosity and conviction.  He asks what is the legacy of bitter political tactics, of the civil rights movement, the draft and the Vietnam War, widespread drug use, and protest movements.  What happened to the idea of personal responsibility.  He casts a light upon the past for a new generation of readers, who may be curious about the roots of their present situation. He prompts readers to step back and do some thinking.

The book is illustrated with well chosen photographs that show the past and present, from people who have changed little to those who are all but unrecognizable.

Brokaw's own history is part of the book but only sparingly, as he didn't experience the full impact of the "baby boom" in his personal life.  But he seeks to bring the past into perspective.  He does it well.