How does an individual reconcile the radical idealism of youth with the pragmatic constraints of institutional political power? Tom Hayden, a central figure in the New Left and a former California state legislator, examines his trajectory from the front lines of 1960s protest movements to the halls of government. He utilizes his personal history as a lens to evaluate the efficacy of dissent and the evolution of American political activism over three decades.

Critics and historians often cite this work as a primary source for understanding the internal tensions of the 1960s protest generation. Readers frequently note the reflective, sometimes introspective tone Hayden employs when assessing the successes and failures of his political career.