The American Age: United States Foreign Policy at Home and Abroad 1750 to the Present (2 Volumes in 1) [Paperback]

Walter LaFeber (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0393964744 | ISBN-13: 978-0393964745 | Publication Date: February 17, 1994 | Edition: 2nd

In this leading text, Walter LaFeber offers a comprehensive history of American foreign relations from the mid-eighteenth century to the present. His narrative account features several major themes: the connections between U.S. foreign policy and domestic politics; the impact of American economic development on foreign policy interests; popular culture, particularly film, as a filter for public opinion on American commitments abroad; the roles of public opinion, leadership, and bureaucracy in the formation of policy.

In the Second Edition, LaFeber has revised nearly every chapter in the book. In the early chapters, there is more attention to the origins of foreign policy institutions and practices, including precedents for the executive agreement, and new discussions of U.S. relations with Britain in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The more recent chapters feature fresh insights of Potsdam, the origins of the Korean War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis--all based on new evidence drawn from Soviet archives. The new edition amply covers the momentous events that brought the Cold War to an end and thrust the United States into the uncetain position of the world's only superpower.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Walter LaFeber is professor of history at Cornell University and the author of The Clash and Inevitable Revolutions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 864 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 2nd edition (February 17, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393964744
• ISBN-13: 978-0393964745
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #114,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for the analysis of US foreign policy, July 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The American Age: United States Foreign Policy at Home and Abroad 1750 to the Present (2 Volumes in 1) (Paperback)

I had this as a textbook for my foreign policy and decision making class last fall and found it to be a great book on the history of US foreign policy. It starts at the very roots of the history of the United States and continues to the present day, giving numerous examples of policy decisions. The book is laden with numerous political cartoons and even anecdotes from popular culture (including movies), to show how America's view of itself on both the international and national view has changed over the decades. Lafeber does not write in stilted jargon that only a true blue political science/international relations major can comprehend. This book is written in a professional yet enjoyable manner that does not get overtly dull. Read it for a good intro to America's foreign policy dillemas.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Outstanding Account of the Development of U.S. F.P., February 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The American Age: United States Foreign Policy at Home and Abroad 1750 to the Present (2 Volumes in 1) (Paperback)

It was with great anticipation that I began reading Walter Lafeber's The American Age. After reading his Inevitable Revolutions, I instantly became a fan of his writings. In The American Age, LaFeber takes the issue of U.S. Foreign Policy and systematically analyses it with great clarity and focus. He has made effective use of primary sources throughout the piece and has clearly shown the different veins of U.S Foreign Policy that have arised, from the evasion of military alliances of the Washington Period, to Taft's Dollar Diplomacy. I felt that the usage of editorial cartoons throughout the text was an excellent idea, as it allowed the reader to have a sense of the public mood during the era in question. In sum, I would declare that The American Age is a must for any reader interested in American Foreign Policy, not only as a reliable guide for facts and figures but also for a thoroughly enjoyable read

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tour de Force of American Foriegn Policy, February 7, 2005

By 

Ben Phenicie (Detroit, Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The American Age: United States Foreign Policy at Home and Abroad 1750 to the Present (2 Volumes in 1) (Paperback)

Walter LaFeber's masterwork, this text is a detailed, high-impact summation of American foriegn policy throughout our history. What truly makes the book stand out, however, is the fact that LaFeber evaluates foriegn policy with democratic ideals in mind. Rather than plunging off the deep end of ultraliberal America-hating, LaFeber evenhandedly doles out praise and criticism to foriegn policy actors depending only on which is deserved.

And as is too often NOT the case with history books, LaFeber also aviods the pitfalls of taking in too broad a sweep of subjects. Despite America's great strength, LaFeber does not pretend we are omnipotent or that our attitudes and values define the whole world's. Rather, events and actions that have the most impact on people and their lives are camly and deliberatly traced, described, and evaluated. Also to his credit, the author introduces the myriad of characters, places and ideologies that the topic demands be addressed with dashing flair and memorable phrase. While the vastness of World War Two quite nearly bests him, LaFeber, with determination and thorough scholarship, manages to write altogether servicable chaptes on the immense conflict.

One wishes only for another edition, so that the same steady hand of diligent scholarship might come to balance and explain the too-tumultuous happenings of our late era. As a former foriegn policy student, I urge other students to keep the book after the class you use it for ends. LaFeber's worth and insight will likely long continue, and the perspective he provides will help anyone better understand the current foriegn policy mess we're in, and what our priorities should be.