America: The Last Best Hope (Volume I): From the Age of Discovery to a World at War (Hardcover)

~ Dr. William J. Bennett (Author) "Bartholomeu Dias's two sailing ships limped back into Lisbon harbor in December 1488, bringing startling news: he had succeeded in rounding the Cape of Good..." (more)
Key Phrases: fugitive slave clause, online source, great collaboration, New York, United States, George Washington (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bennett, a secretary of education under President Reagan and author of The Book of Virtues, offers a new, improved history of America, one, he says, that will respark hope and a "conviction about American greatness and purpose" in readers. He believes current offerings do not "give Americans an opportunity to enjoy the story of their country, to take pleasure and pride in what we have done and become." To this end, Bennett methodically hits the expected patriotic high points (Lewis & Clark, the Gettysburg Address) and even, to its credit, a few low ones (Woodrow Wilson's racism, Teddy Roosevelt's unjust dismissal of black soldiers in the Brownsville judgment). America is best suited for a high school or home-schooled audience searching for a general, conservative-minded textbook. More discerning adult readers will find that the lack of originality and the overreliance on a restricted number of dated sources (Samuel Eliot Morison, Daniel Boorstin, Henry Steele Commager) make the book a retread of previous popular histories (such as Boorstin's The Americans). This is history put to use as inspiration rather than serving to enlighten or explain, but Bennett does succeed in shaping the material into a coherent, readable narrative. (May 23)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–This exhaustive political and military history is well organized, with an excellent table of contents, 13 chapter titles that include dates, and each chapter divided into sections with headings for easy scanning. The chronological narrative covers familiar content, and Bennett writes in a conversational tone. In each chapter he sets the stage, relates events in detail, sprinkles in quotes from personages or literature of the time, and then shifts into editorial mode on such issues as slavery, the treatment of Native Americans, and child-labor practices. He humanizes the main characters with physical descriptions and anecdotes. This lively book acknowledges mistakes and shortcomings, yet patriotically asserts that the American experiment in democracy is still a success story.–Sondra VanderPloeg, Tracy Memorial Library, New London, NH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 592 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 23, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595550550
• ISBN-13: 978-1595550552
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (78 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #280,952 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

222 of 238 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, May 24, 2006

By	Robert B. Shepherd "history/politics/band geek" (Amherst, Mass., USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am not sure if other reviewers have been able to read this whole thing or not, since it did just come out yesterday. Admittedly, I myself have yet to finish it,however, I have read about half of it. Being a history student in a department with many prominent historians, most notably Leonard Richard who has become particularly famous for his original analysis of John Quincy Adam's anti-slavery rhetoric as a congressman, I am extremely fond of new history books.

Mr. Bennett's book is truly a masterpiece. The very fact that I have already read about half of it in the past day it has been released should attest to how difficult it is to put this book down. Despite the fact that Mr. Bennett clearly has a political past, this book is highly non-partisan as he praises both political sides. The only bias that Mr. Bennett holds is that he (as do I ) think America is the greatest nation on the face of the Earth. This is not blind patriotism or nationalism. Instead it is patriotism based on fact more than pure emotion. He admits that our nation has had MAJOR problems, especially in terms of racial history. However, as he states, no nation is perfect and every other nation has similar disturbing facets of their past. Keeping that in mind, America has been and still is the beacon of freedom and hope around the world. Mr. Bennett's research is extremely thorough (first thing I do when I check a history book are check the sources.... he derives his information from historians ranging from Shelby Foote to Harry Jaffa to Douglas Brinkley to Henry Steele Commager to David McCullough; really some of the greatest in their field). Furthermore, he is an exquisite writer as he does things such as refer to men such as Ronald Reagan (in his only reference to the former president) as "the old man who dreamed dreams and lived to see those dreams become reality".

It is a rather long book (and only volume I too) but it is more than worth all the pages and you will actually find yourself wishing that this 525 page masterpiece was even longer. Here's looking forward to spring 2007 so volume II will come out.

93 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Columbus to WWI, June 1, 2006

By	Monty Rainey (New Braunfels, TX) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

William Bennett has long established himself as an author of sorts, not so much by what he has written, but in what he has compiled. He has given us such great compilations of writings from an array of sources in monumental books such as the Book of Virtues, The Moral Compass and Our Sacred Honor, but in his latest venture, AMERICA: THE LAST BEST HOPE, Bennett varies from the role of editor, into the full blown role of writer and does so in superb fashion.

Bennett's personal indiscretions will cause the shallow minded reviewer who chooses to "kill the messenger" to delight in denigrating this fine work, but do not let that discourage you from exposure to this magnificent book. This is not just another dogged approach to American history. This is the story of America presented in a flowing narrative that is concise, insightful, accurate and teeming with adoration for the country that is, in fact, the world's last best hope for the future. Concurrently, Bennett is not averse to exposing the faults of our history in such areas as slavery and Jim Crow laws.

The truly defining moments of our rich history have inclusion here. Of course, even with it's rather hefty 544 pages, it is impossible to do little more than scratch the surface, but for an overview of history, Bennett has meticulously chosen the essential events necessary to impart the desired outcome.

Throughout the years, many have sought to duplicate this effort as volumes covering the matter here are abundant, but with the passage of time, I believe this work will stand the test and emerge as one of the best sources available in this venue. Not because it simply presents the history, but because it instills pride in the reader. It reaffirms all that we love about America and reminds us of how great she truly is, and how great a role those who came before us have been to building her.

If you already love America, your love will be deepened here. If you are less than 50 years old, this book will perhaps shed light as to why we of older generations hold such a profound admiration for our country. These are the things that used to be openly taught in our schools. These are the stories of American history previous generations grew up with. This is the history of America that is so overlooked and even rewritten by those today who loathe our history. This book belongs in every American home.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars readable and engaging.. american facts, ideals and issues.. optimistic.. moving forward together, June 14, 2006

By	James Neville (Katy (Houston), TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Net net I liked this book and I look forward to the next volume (Volume 1 covers 1492 to 1914).

The main reason I like it is that it summarizes in one readable place many of the lesser well known but important and intriguing aspects of American history. I have been reading up the last couple years from Washington to Lincoln to Grant to Reagan, so I had fresh and detailed readings with which to compare Bennett's work.

As an example, General Washington's main strategy in the War of Independence was to last out til British citizens were weary of the war and essentially forced the king and parliament to compromise. As another example, the Bank of the United States was what kept the country out of depressions yet it was opposed furiously by Jefferson and killed off once by Jackson. Many more examples abound where famous names and anecdotes are more fully explained. A fun one is how the Donkey and Elephant became the symbols of the Democratic and Republican parties.

Two aspects of Bennet's work intrigue me. First is his use of the issue of slavery as a binding thread throughout the whole of this Volume 1. Bennett discusses slavery from the beginning starting with the practice in Columbus' time. Bennett's discussion of Lincoln's political approach to emancipation is superb, as is his analysis of Calhoun's attempt to totally reverse the intent of the founders that slavery would be isolated and eliminated over time (since it could not be eliminated immediately without costing union).

The second intriguing practice is Bennett's regularly defining of (to me seemingly) obvious and well-known terms. I think Bennett is targeting a newer, less textually more visually taught audience, the one that Jay Leno loves to target with his "man and woman on the street quizzes" with simple questions that get amazingly wrong but funny answers ("What is the capital of New York?, Who is Mario Cuomo? etc.)

An example is defining "impressment", where British warships took American sailors off American ships into service, claiming they were British. Another example is Bennett's defining, in mentioning that Woodrow Wilson is the only president so far to have a doctorate (in political science), that "doctorate" meant he had a "Ph.D.".

The book is readable and engaging for the selection of facts and principles and narrative connection that Bennett presents. I learned many new things about Teddy Roosevelt and William Taft and Woodrow Wilson and may find myself reading some more detailed works now. The book is an excellent overview of America and should both improve Jay Leno test scores (hee hee) but even more importantly lead new readers to be curious to read more about and understand and identify with American facts, ideals and issues. And it is optimistic in tone, encouraging the melting pot that is our inherited and present culture to continue and move forward together.