Customer Reviews

American Reader: Words That Moved a Nation

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With the politicization of the schools and the increasing emphasis on race, gender and enthnicity as guides to the "multicultural" curriculum, we have lost the emphasis on our common heritage that should bind us together as a nation and a society. The sad proof of this is how little American kids know about the past that is their cultural patrimony. National Assessment of Educational Progress tests have revealed that three quarters of high school juniors tested did not know when Abraham Lincoln was president; one third did not know what the Brown Decision was about, and 70% could not identify the Magna Carta. One third did not know that the phrase "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is from the Declaration of Independence; many were unfamiliar with the Getysburg Address. The American Reader is the best corrective to this situation that there is. Between its covers it presents those words that define our country's past and have expressed its goals and its dreams, its efforts and its achievements. This is what American children should be reading in school. Since many of them are not doing so, this book should be in every home, ready at hand to every parent and teacher.

The American Reader is an anthology of wonderful poems and speeches from critical figures in American history. It is not only perfect for the classroom, but a great bedside companion. I like to read a different selection every night. It is a good tool for self-education, for those of us who had too much "social studies" and not enough real history. And it is fun to read. I love it.

This book is fun to read and an excellent source of classic Americana. Ravitch's selections reflect the pulse of the nation. It contains a rich selection of poetry, essays, speeches, folk songs that map the American experience. It offers insight into who we are as Americans and how we got there.

I love this book. I enjoy reading the poems and speeches that represent our American heritage. I have shared it with my children and like to read them some of my own favorites. I warmly recommend it to parents and teachers!!

The book has good sources and the introduction to each quote is both brief, yet gives excellent detail. The quotes are also span well over American history. Though the book would be better subtitled as the "Words that moved the Author" since they seem to reflect more of a narrow ideology, than a broad expanse of American culture. It is an excellent souce for minority or romantic quotes, yet completely lacks any military nor religious experience. When one sees two good Emerson quotes, but totally ignore the anti-slavery work of Finney, nor care of orphans of DL Moody, nor the quotes of living greats like Billy Graham; it seems that the work is too shaded to a personal belief rather than a cross section of American heritage.

I loved reading this book. Most of the 18th century and early 19th century stuff I had read before. But still it's great to have important documents in one place. i particularly enjoyed the juxtaposition of politics with poetry. I must take issue with a reviewer who disliked this book and wrote, "This book should really be titled The Anti-American Reader. The book is dominated by lame poetry about and by Blacks and Women ..."
Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes are among the greatest writers America has ever produced. If anyone thinks that Dickinson's "Success is counted Sweetest" is a "lame" poem then they should have stayed awake during high school English class.
I do have one suggestion for the next edition of this book: Instead of Whitman's "O Captain, My Captain," and "I Hear America Singing"--two rather overrated works--Ravitch should include Whitman's masterful elegy to Lincoln, "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed."
Finally to the reviewer who wrote "I will burn this book," I have a better idea: Donate this wonderful book to the high school nearest you so that the students there can read this book and get a better education than you received.

We gave an earlier edition of this book to a former intern of ours from Beijing, China. He's learned more from this one book than the average American seems to know about our great country these days, at least according to many surveys we've seen. We wish more Americans would buy and read this book. It is full of amazing insights into our country's cultural heritage that come direct and unfiltered from a highly diverse group of first-hand participants in our country's most pivotal events and movements.