E PLURIBUS UNUM (Hardcover)

~ FORREST MCDONALD (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

An extraordinary book. --Gordon S. Wood, Brown University --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

Having won independence from England, America faced a new question: Would this be politically one nation, or would it not? "E Pluribus Unum" is a spirited look at how that question can be answered.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 386 pages
• Publisher: Liberty Fund Inc.; 2nd edition (May 1, 1979)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0913966584
• ISBN-13: 978-0913966587
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,730,235 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best books of it's kind, February 18, 2006

By	Warner Todd Huston "History Minded" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: E PLURIBUS UNUM (Paperback)

In the 1920s and 30s socialism was all the rage among the "literate" types in US universities as well as Universities world-wide. A writer named Charles Beard made a name for himself in the field of American historiography by claiming that the Founders wrote the Constitution based only on their avarice and greed, that economics was the sole reason that the country was formed. And it was an economics of exclusion, greed and elitism that they created, too. Beard was an avowed socialist and communist and his agenda was to knock down the USA's reputation as the democratic light of the world a few pegs, if not to totally destroy it. He succeeded for several decades.

Then came Forrest McDonald..

In 1965, McDonald shattered that anti-American, socialist paradigm. In his two most important books, E Pluribus Unum and Novus Oedo Seclorum, he revealed the philosophical influences as well as the economic ones that guided the minds of the Founders and their contemporaries. And exclusion, elitism and avarice were not some of those principles and philosophies.

McDonald's works are easily read by one not historically versed and clearly laid out. They are a must read if you want an introduction to early American thinkers and their goals and influences.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars McDonald is a genius., May 27, 2001

By	GateTree (Decatur, AL USA) - See all my reviews

Dr. McDonald makes the Revolutionary period come to life. He was a Pulitzer finalist for Novus Ordo Seclorum & does similarly impressive work here. He does expect the reader to have some knowledge of the period, as some reviewers have suggested, of course the text is written for students of American History.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ignore the 3 bad revies from one person, July 5, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: E PLURIBUS UNUM (Paperback)

It appears that one person from the same university reviewed the book 3 times and gave it only one star. Someone is trying to smear the book and bring down its rating.. Read it for yourself and ignore the ramblings of ignorant, lazy college kids.