Reviews (7)

The results of manifest destiny. . .
This is a beautifully written book that takes epic form in retelling the settling of the American southwest from 1820 through the 1860s.From the Mexican war to the removal of the Navajo from Canyon de Chelly, Hampton Sides writes an engaging account of the results of manifest destiny, showing both sides, warts and all.The white man, while seeming noble in purpose, is shown to have been lacking in honor, and while the Indians were certainly shafted time and again they had many of their own faults.Central to this story is the famous mountain man Kit Carson, a man of many contradictions: though extremely intelligent he was also illiterate; he could speak many of the native languages, understood the Indian ways, and even had Indian wives but he also participated in the slaughter and removal from their lands of these same Indians.The book also includes engaging portraits of many of the important figures of this time period:Stephen Watts Kearny, John Fremont, the Navajo warrior Narbona, and Senator Thomas Benton.Sides is even handed and honest in how he portrays all those involved.At times I felt I was reading fiction but this story is real!For a story about the modern west I have to recommend "Across the High Lonesome." I picked it up after seeing a recommendation from Larry McMurty and he was right!

A full faced history of Arizona and New Mexico
In this sweeping account the lives of Kit Karson and the Navajo nation are intertwined amid scenes of western conquest, manifest destiny, war and survival.This is an epic encounter during a great period in history when the new west, Mexicans and the American Indian as well as traders and mormons and cowboys confronted one another in what has come down to us as the Wild West.Central to the this protrait is the destruction of the Navajo Nation and thier redoubt at Canyon De Chelly, but this book includes an excellent history of the Mexican-American war and the role of Fremont and Keanry and others in opening the west.However imbedded within this is the story of Kit Karson the illiterate mountain man turned welathy notable of the american west, who married Native women and spoke a half dozen languages and was pressed into service destroying the people he truly understood.
Southwest Conquest at its Best
Hampton Sides shines in this well researched, exciting and very readable narrative of our great American Southwest.Each page is brimming with adventure, insight and judicious analysis.
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Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. Frontier and pioneer life    3. History    4. History - U.S.    5. History: American    6. Indians of North America    7. Military - United States    8. Native Americans - Southwest    9. U.S. History - Westward Expansion    10. United States - 19th Century    11. United States - 19th Century/Old West    12. United States - General    13. Wars    14. West (U.S.)    15. History / United States / General   

Editorial Review

Esteemed historian David McCullough covers the military side of the momentous year of 1776 with characteristic insight and a gripping narrative, adding new scholarship and a fresh perspective to the beginning of the American Revolution. It was a turbulent and confusing time. As British and American politicians struggled to reach a compromise, events on the ground escalated until war was inevitable. McCullough writes vividly about the dismal conditions that troops on both sides had to endure, including an unusually harsh winter, and the role that luck and the whims of the weather played in helping the colonial forces hold off the world's greatest army. He also effectively explores the importance of motivation and troop morale--a tie was as good as a win to the Americans, while anything short of overwhelming victory was disheartening to the British, who expected a swift end to the war. The redcoat retreat from Boston, for example, was particularly humiliating for the British, while the minor American victory at Trenton was magnified despite its limited strategic importance. Read more

Reviews (493)

Great Book!!
This book is great! He does a wonderful job of explaining what the early days of the war was like and the state of the colonial army was like. I never really understood how huge the odds against us where until now. The book does a great job at introducing you to Washington, his struggles and the struggles of the nation during this year.

The greastest country ever, how it became.
David McCullough's book, though not thorough in introducing the reader to all the twists and turns of our nation's early history, does an excellent job in introducing George Washington, King George of England and the daunting task that Washington had in trying to hold a truly "rag tag" army together while the British tried to vanquish the Revolutionaries in the Colonies.
I Wonder How It Ends?
Books on history can often be a hard sell to both publishers and readers. The rehashing of old material gets, well, old. You either have to come up with an obscure piece of history that few know about but is engaging, or you have to recreate a larger section that is known by many and give some new tidbits.
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Subjects:  1. 1775-1783, Revolution    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History - U.S.    5. History: American    6. History: World    7. Revolution, 1775-1783    8. U.S. History - Revolution And Confederation (1775-1789)    9. United States    10. United States - Revolutionary War    11. History / General   

Reviews (105)

Filling In The Blanks
Mayflower is simply a master work of history and Philbrick has demonstrated a definite mastery not only of the era of which he writes, but in particular the personalities who dominated the times.Philbrick pulls no punches and is not an advocate of any politically correct position.Both the English settlers and the Native Americans come into their own fair share of praise and criticism.This is not a rewrite of American history; he sets new standards as he explores much more than just the landing of the ship but follows with the establishment of Plymouth Plantation and eventually touches the point when the Native American dominance of the area vanished.
Give it back to the Indians!
Philbrick has done another superb job in researching an little-known time and event. I read a review that said he spent too little time on the actual crossing of the Mayflower and hence I almost did not get this book.I am very glad I did purchase and read it.How little we all really know or can even imagine of the hardships faced by the brave Pilgrims.And how little we knew of the fate that befell the Native Americans.Both a heartbreaking and heartwarming book and I recommend it to any and all Americans.

An excellent read for this Thanksgiving.
From an early age, I have been fascinated with American history.It has been exceedingly difficult for me, therefore, to understand why history seems to be the worst taught subject in primary-secondary schools.Social studies tend to have the poorest passing rates of the core subjects in standardized exams.Some scientific and lesser surveys find college students and many teachers unable to identify the most significant events in this nation's life.Little wonder, then that manipulative politicians so easily mislead the public into viewing current events using artificial facts and fallacious cause-effects.
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Subjects:  1. 1600-1750    2. 1639-1718    3. Church, Benjamin,    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History - U.S.    7. History: American    8. Indians of North America    9. Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony)    10. United States - Colonial Period    11. United States - General    12. Wars    13. History / United States / General   

Reviews (7)

Good highlights of American Military History
I found this book to provide a good "cliff notes" type of review of American Military history. While of course you could argue for more depth, the author does a very good job of probing earlier American conflicts from the settling of North American by the Europeans up to the Revolutionary war.Sometimes with a book of this style some substance is lost and that is certainly the case.It would be wonderful to hear more about World War I and it seems as though the Bannana Wars of the 1920's draw as much attention as Vietnam did.But a good start to anyone who wants to quickly learn about American Military History.

A great read, despite retired rants:
I presume H.W. Crocker III wrote his crackerjack book for many reasons, one of which must be to set the record -- and the ranters and ravers -- straight.While one is tempted to ignore the shocking errors of some off-the-mark critics, here are the facts, as Crocker lays out in detail:
Too many factual inaccuracies
If you don't mind factual innacuracies, then this book is for you. It reads well; Crocker has a fine writing style, but if you don't mind such things as Desert Storm being called Desert Saber and naming General Miles, not Howard as having bested Chief Joseph, then fine. If a history book has one or two errors that you quickly catch, then you wonder how many more are scattered through the tome that you didn't catch. Who was his editor? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. History, Military    4. Military    5. Military - United States    6. Military History (General)    7. Military history    8. United States    9. United States History (Specific Aspects)    10. History / Military / United States   

Editorial Review

The life and times of Abraham Lincoln have been analyzed and dissected in countless books. Do we need another Lincoln biography? In Read more

Reviews (204)

The Power of Patience
Lincoln has been the focus of seemingly endless analysis, yet Doris Kearns Goodwin offers a fresh and illuminating perspective.By focusing on the men around the president, Goodwin portrays Lincoln as a remarkable judge of human character, a consummate conciliator, and a man of remarkable wit.Goodwin obviously writes well, although her spotlight on so many players does confuse the reader a bit.She is a talented historian, and this is another solid piece of work.

Lincoln's strength in humility
Although at first I did not understand why writing about Lincoln's cabinet members was going to be revealing about Lincoln himself, I found myself pleasantly surprised.
WHEN THE MEN AND THE MOMENT MET
During this election cycle of 2006 I have been asking myself a question. When was the last time leftist could have unambiguously supported a Republican or Democratic Party candidate. As indicate below the clear choice is the Lincoln-Johnson ticket in 1864. By a happy coincidence Doris Kearn Goodwin's book under review here provides more than enough ammunition to confirm that opinion. Normally, my concerns as a fighter for socialism and hers as a fawning devotee of the New Deal, Fair Deal and New Frontier eras of the Democratic Party are miles apart. Here we can, at least for this moment, agree that Lincoln, as a man and politician was worthy of support by militants and those not so militant. Make no mistake Lincoln and his compatriots were big men who confronted big tasks. And did it. Underlining Goodwin's thesis is a belief that what passes for today's Republican leaders pale in contrast. Again we agree. Here's why.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Case studies    5. General    6. Genius    7. Government - Executive Branch    8. Historical - U.S.    9. History    10. History: American    11. Political    12. Political leadership    13. Presidents    14. Presidents & Heads of State    15. U.S. Political History    16. U.S. President    17. United States    18. United States - Civil War    19. Biography & Autobiography / Political   

Editorial Review

Consistently lauded for its lively, readable prose, this revised andupdated edition of Read more

Reviews (531)

An Important History, Well Written
This isn't the last and only history of America you'll ever read or need.This is an addition to other texts, an important missing element in our collective education.History used to be told from the point of view of the winners, of the uplifted, and of the heroes.That is no longer the case and we can thank Howard Zinn and this seminal work for that.
Definitely worth reading, a bit cumbersome at times
I am definitely not a socialist.
Different Worth for Different Folks
After quite a while I finally put the time into reading this book and I am totally ambivalent whether I should have or not...I do not think that one should pay too much attention to those readers who do not take their history seriously, to those that want to propound a certain ideological agenda -- something I am realising has been,and is, a depressing fact of American socialisation. Those people of the ideological left will love this book and the those of the ideological right will hate it.... that is a given.
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History - U.S.    4. History: American    5. Political Ideologies - Democracy    6. Social History    7. United States    8. United States - General    9. United States History (General)    10. History / General   

Reviews (5)

A Fabulous Historical Page Turner!
I am having a hard time putting down Ian Toll's "Six Frigates" to write a female's point of view...this is truly a page turner, an enlightening and very refreshing review of our early naval history which reads like a novel, pulling one into the action and times on each page - even if you are not a naval/history buff.I await with great impatience Mr. Toll's next venture.

A Much-Needed History
Ever since reading Patrick O'Brian's depiction of the battle between the USS Constitution and the HMS Java in "The Fortune of War," I've wanted to learn more about the United States's own naval history from that period.Surprisingly, though, I was unable to find many published works on the subject.Finally, Toll's "Six Frigates" has arrived, and it's exactly the sort of book I was looking for.
Don't read this book at sea!
I read "Six Frigates" sailing south down the coast of Australia from Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday group.
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Subjects:  1. 18th century    2. 19th century    3. Frigates    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Military    7. Military - Naval    8. Military - United States    9. Naval operations    10. Tripolitan War, 1801-1805    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. History / Military / United States    14. Maritime history    15. Naval forces & warfare    16. USA   

Reviews (1)

whathappenedtomaps?
This American History book is a very good, but not excellentcoverage of the History of the United States. The book istypical entry level college material. Historical information is either very interesting with good detail to boring and vague.Photographs, portraits, paintings, charts, and illustrations are abundant and beautiful helping to keep interest level moving.However, the book rapidly sheds its allure and interest. That is because it fails to deliver on providing enough, interesting and neccessary political and war detail maps associated with important major historical events.
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History - U.S.    4. History: American    5. Textbooks    6. United States    7. United States - General    8. American history    9. History / General    10. USA   

Editorial Review

After September 11th, 2001, the Ground Zero site in New York City was classified as a crime scene and only those directly involved in the recovery efforts were allowed inside. The press was also prohibited from the site, but with the help of the Museum of the City of New York and sympathetic city officials, award-winning photographer Joel Meyerowitz managed to obtain unlimited access. By ingenuity and sheer determination, he was the only photographer granted unimpeded right of entry into Ground Zero. Read more

Reviews (7)

Shocking with a presentation that brings a fresh unseen angle
The images of September 11th are ones that are familiar to anybody in the western world and beyond. The death tolls as well as the political and sociological ramifications of these events on the following years and years to come have also been the subject of much discussion. However the glory of Joel Meyerowitz's photographic collection is that it ignores all the larger political manoeuvering and focuses on the minutia.
A Fitting Memorial on the Fifth Anniversary of September 11:
We still struggle with knowing how to think about the events of 9/11/2001 - and with how to depict them in the popular media. The reactions to the films "World Trade Center" and "Flight 93" have been all over the map. For some, it seems too soon to reopen the raw wounds that the tragedies of that day inflicted on our national psyche. For others, remembering the events and trying to make sense of them is part of the healing from those wounds.
Astonishing
I recently purchased this book from Amazon.It was worth the $$$ to add this book to my 9/11 book collection.The photos are stunning.Joel did an excellent job with his project.This book is a must-have book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architectural & Industrial    2. History    3. Individual Photographer    4. Photo Techniques    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./Mid-Atlantic    8. 21st century    9. American history: postwar, from c 1945 -    10. Local history    11. New York    12. Photographic reportage    13. Photography / History   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (120)

Too much dialogue for an enjoyable history
This book is the story of the escape and capture of John Wilkes Booth.But, at its heart it is really the story of John Wilkes Booth and the man who accompanied him on his escape, David Herold.I really wanted to like this history, and I understand they are going to make a movie based on the author's work.I found it a bit too chatty, so much so, that by the end of it I wanted hang John Wilkes Booth.And that is the problem with this book.While it does a good job of telling how the Federal bureaucracy and the military fumbled Booth's capture, it focuses too little on that aspect.We get a lot of dialogue between Booth and those who help him make his escape, but this reader would have liked to know more about those who help Booth.Things like how the relatives of Dr. Samuel Mudd, obviously a racist and Confederate, got his life historically rehabilitated in the 20th century.After a while it just drags on.This is my first reading of anything about John Wilkes Booth and I hope there are better works out there.

Good read and hard to put down

Great read
This book is really a great read. The action flows petty much nonstop, from page one. Swanson manages to put a lot of facts in front of you, yet never bores you. I learned a lot from this book- buy it, you won't be displeased! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Assassination    2. Case studies    3. Criminal Investigation    4. Criminology    5. Fugitives from justice    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History - U.S.    9. History: American    10. Investigation    11. United States    12. United States - 19th Century    13. United States - Civil War    14. History / General   

Subjects:  1. 1865-1921    2. Foreign Relations    3. History    4. History - U.S.    5. History: American    6. International Relations - General    7. Territorial expansion    8. To 1865    9. United States    10. United States - General    11. United States History (Specific Aspects)    12. History / United States / General   

Editorial Review

On any given day, one out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant, without giving either its speed or its thriftiness a second thought. Fast food is so ubiquitous that it now seems as American, and harmless, as apple pie. But the industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. Eric Schlosser, an award-winning journalist, opens his ambitious and ultimately devastating exposé with an introduction to the iconoclasts and high school dropouts, such as Harlan Sanders and the McDonald brothers, who first applied the principles of a factory assembly line to a commercial kitchen. Quickly, however, he moves behind the counter with the overworked and underpaid teenage workers, onto the factory farms where the potatoes and beef are grown, and into the slaughterhouses run by giant meatpacking corporations. Schlosser wants you to know why those French fries taste so good (with a visit to the world's largest flavor company) and "what really lurks between those sesame-seed buns." Eater beware: forget your concerns about cholesterol, there