Customer Reviews

The Story of America

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Beautifully presented, wonderfully written and provided with photographs and fascinating drawings throughout, The Story of America brings the USA's history to life like no other I have ever read. Twenty six chosen stories are employed to narrate its history, including The Founding of Jamestown, The battle of Little Bighorn and The Cuban Missile Crisis. Interestingly, other events that would only usually be given a brief treatment in history books, are given an in depth description here, such as Charles Lindbergh's Flight.

My only warning to potential readers/purchasers is that because, as stated, twenty six stories are used, they are described in great depth, and as the author explains at the beginning of the book, "We have made space for these details by omitting other people and events in order to deepen the context of each chapter". For example, Abraham Lincoln's profile is less than a page, whereas Lillian Hellman is given two full pages. This not to say, however, that other people and events have been completely omitted. Throughout the book, green shaded sidebars describe other characters and happenings outside the twenty six stories selected.

So, if you would like a book that covers a wide scope of history with not so much detail for each account, then it would be better to look elsewhere. If, however, you desire a unique, eye pleasing and above all enjoyable account of America's history, then look no further.

As a relatively new A.P. U.S.History teacher, I am faced with providing the "most bang for the buck" to my high school juniors in preparing them for the spring A.P. exam. "The Story of America" has provided me with excellent backup for the standard text I use in the A.P. class. It is so helpful that I have recommended it to my supervisor as a supplementary text for all of our International Baccalaureate students in future years. The book provides finely detailed stories and backgrounds on many topics that are barely touched on in our standard text. I don't want to belabor the readers with examples I find fascinating, but I sincerely believe that any serious History teacher would find this work immensely helpful.

I was so pleased to find this book, which looked like a great history resource -- it has an attractive, if slightly busy layout, with lots of interesting sidebars and photos. A casual dip into the text suggested a writing style which would hold the attention of a high school student.

Now trying to use it as a resource I find that it presents a single interpretation of history as if it is fact. There is no information about what sources are used to develop the interpretation, and no acknowledgment that there might be alternative interpretations. It is truly history as story, presented as if in the voice of an unbiased, omniscient narrator. There is no attempt to develop a critical understanding of multiple perspectives on events or the process of doing historical analysis. Even when I agree with their interpretation (frequently but not always), presenting that interpretation without reference to supporting evidence is the LAST message I want to send young scholars about the nature of history.

Attractive and nicely written, I won't be using this text as a primary resource because it does not encourage critical thinking about history.

Who would have thunk (sic)? TRUE American History and something to be proud of! Yay, USA! Book shipped quickly and in excellent condition.

Count me on the side of those praising this book. What a shame that it seems to be out of print. At first glance, this looks like a fairly conventional, textbook-style book, though without the study questions and supplemental materials that would come with a textbook. Closer examination reveals three things.

First, this is an exceptionally handsome book. The layout and printing are beautifully done, the artwork and photographs well-chosen and vivid. Second, this is an American history book that isn't obsessed with covering everything. Each chapter is organized around a particular and significant episode (26 in all). That episode is explored in some depth. As a result, you don't get that annoying sense that you get with most textbooks, that you're just skating along the surface of events. Third, this is a book that was written, not by a committee or a group of junior editors or graduate students, but by two actual people, both of them fine scholars and writers. As a result, the writing has life and personality; it's not the bland, hideously boring writing of the majority of textbooks.

In short, I love this book, and I'm already using it with my students. Unfortunately, since it's out of print, I'm using it just by photo-copying parts of it. (Publishers, if you don't want me to break the law, get this book back in print!)

This is a handsome, glossy book with a unique format. Each chapter is devoted to an American "story," with numerous short, colorful sidebars relating to major historical events during the same time period. For the most part, I thought the stories and sidebars were well selected and interesting. It backed and filled some gaps in my history.

BUT, instead of honoring the format by sticking to the facts, the authors couldn't resist editorializing people and events. These frequent and unsubstantiated opinions were distracting and often exaggerated, simplistic or just plain wrong. The most offensive examples come near the end of the book.

In short, I recommend the book as a fun read until around 1930. At that point, move on to something else.

My home library is full of American history books, but none come close to the absolute beauty of this book. To begin with, this hardcover edition uses a great quality semi-gloss heavy paper not often found. Its pages are laden with extraordinary color plates and prints. But this book goes far beyond its external and graphic beauty.

The writing by itself makes this book a must have for American history lovers. The authors explain in the introduction that the book was not intended as a textbook and I believe they have exceeded their intentions. It is, instead, a compilation of some twenty six eras or events in American history.

For example, Chapter SIX is titled, "JEFFERSONIAN AMERICA". This chapter's central theme is detailing the Lewis & Clark Expedition and Corps of Discovery, which is covered in roughly 20 pages of text which also includes other information such as color maps and a 2/3 page bio on Meriwether Lewis. Other information is interjected along the way, such as a half page account of the Burr Conspiracy, details of the Louisiana Purchase, and Lewis' educational preparation for the voyage. The chapter then moves on to a short account of the Barbary Pirates and the Embargo Act before moving on to the War of 1812. The chapter concludes, as do all the chapters, with an American profile, this one featuring James Marshall and written by Pulitzer Prize winning author, Joseph J. Ellis (FOUNDING BROTHERS).

The American profile feature is a wonderful bonus to the book. The authors went to obvious great effort to secure profiles from historians who are giants in their areas of expertise. You will not find any Zinn-type revisionists here. These authors are the real deals who tell it like it is. Authors like Jack Rakove who writes a profile here on Samuel Adams, reconstruction era expert Eric Foner who provides a profile on Thaddeus Stevens, Harriet Tubman biographer Catherine Clinton who provides the profile on Tubman, and the aforementioned Joseph J. Ellis. This list of authors reads like a who's who list of American historians.

This extraordinary book coves 500 years of American history, up to and including the final chapter which covers the 9/11 attacks and the twenty-first century, in a way I have never seen presented before. The book is essential for home-schoolers. This is a book I will reference often.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com