1898: The Birth of the American Century [Paperback]

David Traxel (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0679776710 | ISBN-13: 978-0679776710 | Publication Date: December 7, 1999

In 1898: The Birth of the American Century, David Traxel tells the story of a watershed year, a year of foreign conflict, extravagant adventure, and breakneck social change that forged a new America—a sudden empire with many far-flung possessions, a dynamic new player upon the global stage.

At the heart of this vivid, anecdotal history is a masterly account of the Spanish-American War, the "splendid little war" that garnered the nation Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.  From the sinking of the Maine in waters off Havana to Teddy Roosevelt's rough riders and the triumph of Admiral Dewey, here is the lightning-swift military episode that transformed America into a world power. Here too are many stories not so often told—the bloody first successes of the new United Mine Workers, the tentative beginnings of the Ford Motor Company, the million-dollar launch of the Uneeda Biscuit—each in its way as important as the harbinger of the American century.  Compulsively readable, frequently humorous, utterly fascinating in its every detail, 1898 is popular history at its finest.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The 20th century may have begun in the year 1901, but the "American Century" actually began three years earlier, according to historian David Traxel, who pinpoints 1898 as the pivotal year for America's new found presence on the world stage. In his book 1898: The Birth of the American Century, Traxel combines scholarly knowledge with eloquent storytelling to chronicle the events of this crucial year that set in train the transformation of the United States from a 19th-century isolated agrarian society, into a leading world power both economically and politically.

Traxel views the Spanish-American War as the epicenter of events in 1898--a war which the States won in a matter of months, though the Europeans never quite managed to defeat Spain even after several centuries of warfare. With this victory, the U.S. was now firmly established as a major military player. Economically the United States was also getting richer due to increased trade with foreign markets and because of a new generation of innovative industrialists like Ford and Westinghouse. The word "marketing" also entered the American business vocabulary, and 1898 saw the first million-dollar advertising campaign--to launch a well-known biscuit! Traxel goes on to detail how America's workforce was changing--unions fought for the rights of workers, and women pursued jobs and the right to vote. Although the United States didn't suddenly metamorphose overnight, 1898 was certainly a crucial year in its development, and Traxel recounts these events in meticulous detail. --Naomi Gesinger --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

The year 1898 is remembered in the U.S. as "one of those rare years [that] changed the course of American history." Traxel (An American Saga: The Life and Times of Rockwell Kent) has a flair for the good story and the telling anecdote that he puts to skillful use as he reviews the year's high points. They include the creation of the five-borough City of New York; the Great Blizzard; the sinking of the Maine during the Spanish-American War; the triumph of Teddy Roosevelt (the prototype of the modern politician); the creation of the National Biscuit Company (the prototype of the modern marketing empire); the great newspaper circulation wars between Hearst and Pulitzer; a cruel coal miners' strike; one of the last Indian battles; the emergence of John Muir and the conservation movement; and the beginnings of an overseas American empire in Hawaii and the Philippines. Traxel's footnotes indicate that his sources are rarely firsthand, but he is as proficient a name-dropper as he is a storyteller, and we hear about Edison, Ford, Frank Baum, Gifford Pinchot, Frederick Taylor, Clara Barton, Stephen Crane, Dewey (both the admiral and the educator) and William Jennings Bryan. And 1898 is presented as the year that marked the end of the old WASP America and the beginnings of a new America full of Catholics, Jews, blacks and all the social and ethical issues faced by a country that has suddenly become an international power. The year may not have been as tidy a turning point as Traxel portrays it, but his account of it is certainly entertaining to read. Photos.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (December 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679776710
• ISBN-13: 978-0679776710
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #341,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars An informative, but poorly presented, story of the times, January 7, 2000

By 

Jason Schattman - See all my reviews

This review is from: 1898: The Birth of the American Century (Paperback)

1898 establishes this time-period as the adolescent growth spurt of America. We learn of the crucial players and ideas that brought America to world-class status. Unfortunately, the presentation is chaotic, and reveals few coherent themes. The level of detail is quite uneven. For instance, the author describes the emerging philosophy of conservationism in three pages, but he details the Spanish-American war down to the level of what the men ate for breakfast each morning. We learn, for no identifiable reason, of an adulterous affair of one of the siblings of President McKinnley. While nice gossip, such tangents do not contribute to the theme the author is trying to establish, which is America's transition to prominence.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining if neither Definitive or Substantial, February 3, 2001

By 

Ricky Hunter (New York City, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 1898: The Birth of the American Century (Paperback)

David Traxel has taken the year 1898 as, to quote the subtitle, the birth of the American century. He has many good and valuable reasons for doing so as is made obvious as the book, and the year, unfold before the reader. It is all here from the growing imperialism of the United States as it becomes involved in Cuba and the Philippine, as well as labour disputes, the growth of businesses such as Uneeda Biscuit and the Ford Motor Company, in addition to many more assorted characters and stories running throughout this history. Ms. Tuchman in the Proud Tower effectively covered some of the same issues, particulary the U.S. involvement with Cuba, in a very efficient fashion that laid events out a little more plainly. David Traxel does, on occasion, feel the need to soften or defend American actions. The book is still entertaining, though, and hopefully would lead a reader to learn more about the interesting events and people presented here.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good!, February 25, 1999

By 

Bob Terwilliger - See all my reviews

This review is from: 1898 : The Birth of the American Century (Hardcover)

I had to read this book because of a school assignment, but if I didn't have to, then it would have been an even greater book. The insights he shares with his readers are well put, & the anecdotal form makes the book move fast, which keeps the book interesting.