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Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience Hardcover – Illustrated, October 11, 2016

by Melanie Kirkpatrick (Author)

4.6 74 ratings

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We all know the story of Thanksgiving. Or do we? This uniquely American holiday has a rich and little-known history beyond the famous Pilgrim feast of 1621.

Melanie Kirkpatrick journeys through four centuries to craft a vivid portrait of our nation's best-loved tradition in Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience. Drawing on newspaper accounts, official documents, private correspondence, and cookbooks, she illuminates what the holiday has meant to generations of Americans.

Presidents play key parts: Washington proclaimed our first national day of Thanksgiving amid controversy over his constitutional power to do so. Lincoln aimed to heal a fractured nation when he called for all Americans to mark a Thanksgiving Day. FDR sparked a debate on states’ rights by changing the traditional date of the holiday. The story also includes the evolution of Thanksgiving dinner, how football became part of the celebration, and how Native Americans view the holiday.

While the rites and rituals have evolved, the essence of Thanksgiving remains the same: family and friends feasting together in a spirit of hospitality and gratitude. Kirkpatrick's exploration of America’s oldest tradition offers a fascinating look into the meaning of the holiday we celebrate on the fourth Thursday of November.

With Readings for Thanksgiving Day and historic Recipes & Bills of Fare.

Print length

304 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Encounter Books
Publication date

October 11, 2016
Reading age

18 years and up
Dimensions

6.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
ISBN-10

1594038937
ISBN-13

978-1594038938
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Melanie Kirkpatrick shows brilliantly how from cooking pot to melting pot, America is a product of Thanksgiving as much as Thanksgiving is a product of America.” ―Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking With Destiny

“A short, beautiful history of our oldest national custom.” ―Amity Shlaes, author of Great Society: A New History

“Wonderfully engaging.” ―Jeff Jacoby, The Boston Globe

“[A] Thanksgiving for patriots.”―The Washington Times

“The book is a mini civics lesson; it covers 400 years of our history.”―Natural Solutions

“This book is deeply touching, uplifting . . . a wonderful examination of the history of the holiday.” ―Kenneth Weinstein, Hudson Institute, on C-Span’s BookTV

“[A] tremendous amount of insight on the Thanksgiving holiday.” ―Newt Gingrich, foxnews.com

About the Author

Melanie Kirkpatrick is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a former deputy editor of the Wall Street Journal editorial page. She is the author of Lady Editor: Sarah Josepha Hale and the Making of the Modern American Woman, and Escape from North Korea: The Untold Story of Asia's Underground Railroad.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Encounter Books; Illustrated edition (October 11, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1594038937
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594038938
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.34 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,116,455 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #151 in Holidays (Books)
- #1,525 in U.S. Colonial Period History
- #19,114 in U.S. State & Local History

Customer Reviews:
4.6 74 ratings

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Melanie Kirkpatrick

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MELANIE KIRKPATRICK is a writer and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. She had a long career at The Wall Street Journal, where her jobs included running the op-ed page, editing the editorials, and serving as deputy editor of the editorial page. She grew up in Buffalo, attended Princeton University, and has lived in Toronto, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Manhattan. She now resides in rural Connecticut with her husband,Jack David.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

74 global ratings

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Paul Oster

So amazing

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2022

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I love everything about this book. It will be a family treasure now. Love the recipes!

Helpful

Russell A. Johnson

Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American ...

Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2017

Verified Purchase

Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience is a delightful book that conveys the essence of the American Thanksgiving in a series of vignettes, commentaries, historical proclamations, and of course recipes. It is very well written in that it manages to be simultaneously both informative and entertaining as well as serious, thorough, and well documented.

The book is most remarkable for its completeness and balance. Beyond Thanksgiving’s traditional roots in New England, the author traces history of major American Thanksgiving celebrations with their own regional, cultural, and ethnic variations. However all of the celebrations are tied together by the common threads of gratitude and inclusivity and their impact, both positive and negative, on all of the peoples who have come to share our American experience.

8 people found this helpful

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Holly Whiting

Giving thanks for this wonderful new book!!

Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2016

Verified Purchase

Melanie Kirkpatrick's beautiful new book about Thanksgiving is one that every family should own. It depicts the history, traditions, and food that all Americans enjoy on this important day often overshadowed by other holidays. The book reads easily and has charming illustrations. This is a book that can be brought out every year and shared with friends and family. I appreciate the time that the author took to compile the vast array of information about Thanksgiving and writing this wonderful book for all of us to enjoy.

5 people found this helpful

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EchoDelta

Who was the "Grinch Who Stole Thanksgiving"?

Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2016

Verified Purchase

Never heard of "Forefathers Day"? These and countless other interesting facts, details and stories about Thanksgiving and it's history are skillfully and thoughtfully presented to us by Melanie Kirkpatrick in her excellent book: Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience .
A fascinating read and excellent gift, in November and throughout the year! Thank you Ms. Kirkpatrick!

5 people found this helpful

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Faith

Not a recipe book

Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2016

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Somehow I got the impression this book was equal parts history and recipes. It is a beautiful history book, but there are only 13 recipes counting using different fruits in the same tart recipe.

One person found this helpful

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Janice Bowman

WORTH THE READING

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2021

Verified Purchase

Interesting little book with readings and a few recipes. Fun to read.

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Sharon W.

Well researched and interesting perspective on a subject we thought ...

Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2018

Verified Purchase

Well researched and interesting perspective on a subject we thought we knew all about. Obviously there's a lot more to know, and this book helps fill the gaps in our understanding of the history of the holiday.

3 people found this helpful

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Gloria Weden

Heard this is a Great Book

Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2020

Verified Purchase

Cannot wait to read it!

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