Customer Reviews

The National Archives of the United States

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The National Archives, to many people, is an interesting place to visit while they're in D.C., so they can peer through thick glass to see the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights. But the building houses so very much more. This magnificent book tells the story of the Archives, how it came to be, and the many functions it serves. It then goes on to describe many of the items contained in the Archives, along with rare and incredible photos, and in telling their story, tells the story of our nation. You might expect this to be dry as dust but far from it, this book is exceptionally well written and fascinating to read. I highly recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in learning more about our country's history.

For reference, from the inside dustcover:
"The National Archives of the United States is marking its fiftieth anniversary this year, and this volume is celebrating the event.
"Few Americans have not left some trace in government records, and for anyone tracing his family roots, the National Archives is the place to look. Indeed, the range of material contained in the Archives is immense. Of course, unique original documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are enshrined here, along with the Louisiana Purchase treaty, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, and the Homestead Act. So are presidential campaign buttons, illustrated family bibles, the passenger list for the Lusitania's final voyage, patent drawings, and almost every government document of importance.
"The fascinating text for this new volume is written by Herman J. Viola, director of the National Anthropological Archives. He is the author of several books and many articles in the field of American history. Viola is the perfect guide to the Archives, expertly leading us through our nation's history with facts, figures, and anecdotes. Stunning pictures - 106 in full color - were created especially for this book, illustrating the objects and documents discussed in the text.
"This volume, which includes a bibliography and an index, will be treasured by those who visit the Archives and by those who delight in discovering America's story. The National Archives' extraordinary collection - our official history - is a collection that truly belongs to us all."

"The National Archives of the United States", a coffee table commemorative book, was first published in 1984, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the National Archives. The agency and its imposing headquarters in Washington, D.C. are probably best known for the display of the original Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of the Rights, but in fact the Archives house much more of interest.

Herman Viola provides the narrative of the book, which describes the collections of the Archives, from key documents such as the Emancipation Proclamation to international treaties to the results of the national census. Historian David McCullough provides an introduction to set some perspective on the collection, including its many photographs and maps, and why the average visitor might care. For example, genealogists now mine the Archives for family research, including drawing on service records from the nation's early wars.

This volume is very nicely illustrated with color photographs of various items in the collections, including, for example, some especially interesting photographs of Abraham Lincoln, General Sherman and other notables from the Civil War era. The collections, and this book, won't appeal to everyone, but "The National Archives of the United States" is recommended to readers with a well-developed interest in the documentation of history.

The author of this work is HERMAN J. VIOLA, not "Bicla"! Unless you correct the name, this book will not appear in the list when one searches by author. Please fix.