"Kirkendall has provided a solidly researched and thoroughly written history of Missouri from 1919 to 1953. It will provide an excellent reference for the study of the economic and political affairs that affected Missouri during more than three decades of rapid change. Kirkendall's study should be a part of every library with a collection on the history of the trans-Mississippi West."--Indiana Magazine of History

"The many strengths of this book begin with its integration of social and political history and include also a strong foundation in a rich secondary literature, a style of writing that is clear and accessible, attention to comparative questions with reference to other states, and arguments that are forceful and perhaps controversial."--Western Historical Quarterly

"[Kirkendall] addresses other issues that generally receive inadequate attention in volumes of this type. His treatment of the role of women during the crucial years of his study is admirable. Likewise, his analysis of black life in Missouri during those years is important. Not only does he document and describe the oppression faced by blacks, he also writes at length about their creative response. Kirkendall is at his best when writing about the jazz culture that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s in Kansas City. . . . This book is a valuable addition to the literature on Missouri history."--Journal of Southern History