The Penguin History of the United States of America
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in The Penguin History of the United States of America for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
This new edition of Brogan's superb one-volume history - from early British colonisation to the Reagan years - captures an array of dynamic personalities and events. In a broad sweep of America's triumphant progress. Brogan explores the period leading to Independence from both the American and the British points of view, touching on permanent features of 'the American character' - both the good and the bad. He provides a masterly synthesis of all the latest research illustrating America's rapid growth from humble beginnings to global dominance.
About the Author
Hugh Brogan was educated at Repton School and Cambridge. He worked on the Economist for two years before his first visit to the United States as a Harkness Fellow in 1962. He was a Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge from 1963 to 1974 and thereafter, until his retirement in 1998, taught at the University of Essex. He has several published works, the most recent of which is 'Signalling from Mars: Selected Letters of Arthur Ransome' (1997).
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
Human history has been largely the story of migrations. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Human history has been largely the story of migrations. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Prof. Brogan can little have suspected when he wrote the first edition in 1983, or updated it in 1995, that the USA would be thrust centre-stage quite so dramatically as it was on the morning of September 11th 2001. Yet, anyone seeking explanations of the American response since, or Americans seeking reasons for the apparent mixed feelings which the rest of the world harbours about their country will find many answers in this wide-ranging and comprehensive study
The book covers the period from the voyage of Columbus to nearly the present day. It is densely packed with fact which illustrates political, economic, and social progress of the USA. The period up to and including the Civil war is dealt with dutifully but unenthusiastically, and the period from '83 to '95 is slightly glib, but the strength of the book is the period from the civil war to the Vietnam war.
Prof Brogan's enthusiasm for the country and admiration of the indomitable spirit of the people shines through in this middle section. I found myself surprised at the extent to which what through British eyes seems eccentric or idiosyncratic behaviour (eg. some of the states' rights, kitchen cabinets of rich industrialists, even Presidential mistresses) is often rooted in history and tradition.
Despit the length of this book it remains readable throughout. The author moves easily from detail to broad themes and back, and his dry humour lightens many passages. Readers of all nationalities will find this account of American history through British eyes adds to their understanding of modern America and its place in the world.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I did not read History at University and had embarassingly little knowledge of American history. I found this work useful and engaging, and a good background to have when reading American literature and appreciating other forms of American culture.
The writing is clear. Events are well summarised, characters presented with subtlety and the significance of social change is discussed in detail. The author raises pertinant questions but does not let the commentary reach an exhausting level of detail. I feel not only that I have learnt many facts but also gained some actual insight into American History.
The work is slightly on the `academic' side but I was very frustrated that the publishers did not think it useful to include any maps nor even a glossary of terms or a good annotated bibliography. Shame on them.
Another reservation is the handling of the war periods: I would have liked a clearer depiction of the timelines and the decisive moments of the various conflicts.
To summarise: this was a good read and a useful basis on which to build. There are not that many histories of the USA .... this book only goes as far as R. Regan and I now need to find a history of 'contemporary' USA to complete the picture.
The writing is clear. Events are well summarised, characters presented with subtlety and the significance of social change is discussed in detail. The author raises pertinant questions but does not let the commentary reach an exhausting level of detail. I feel not only that I have learnt many facts but also gained some actual insight into American History.
The work is slightly on the `academic' side but I was very frustrated that the publishers did not think it useful to include any maps nor even a glossary of terms or a good annotated bibliography. Shame on them.
Another reservation is the handling of the war periods: I would have liked a clearer depiction of the timelines and the decisive moments of the various conflicts.
To summarise: this was a good read and a useful basis on which to build. There are not that many histories of the USA .... this book only goes as far as R. Regan and I now need to find a history of 'contemporary' USA to complete the picture.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If, like me, you've never read any US histoy and your entire knowledge of it comes from film and television then this is the perfect book for you. Starting with the earliest settlers it goes through all the famous events such as the American Revolution, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Prohibition, the New Deal, the Civil Rights Movement and Watergate but also deals with less familiar ones and shows how the nation has grown and developed over the centuries. The narrative flow is brilliant and doesn't get bogged down by numerous references to individuals with similar names - for instance it's always clear which member of the Adams family (the political dynasty, not the television series!) is being referred to. This is essential reading for all students of American history but can be enjoyed just as much by casual readers.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Amazingly interesting and well written
The book is so interesting as a very good novel. Highly readable, the text flows easily and captures the reader's attention from page 1. Lots of information accurately processed. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Emili
Some parts good, often boring.
Some sections of this book were interesting such as the first chapter and the bits about civil rights etc... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Adam Stacey
Simply Brilliant
This book was just a pure joy to read. Hugh Brogan left every sentence dripping with knowledge. He provided an amazing portrait of American from start to finish. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Dylan
Brilliant book
Thus product is amazing. I have been interested in American history for a long time, and certain things always confused me, but now after reading this book, I have a better... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ms. K. Wheeler
History of the United States
Accomplished, articulate, book, which cuts through mere narrative on one hand, polemics on other, to make insightful points. Read more
Published 15 months ago by a flynn
Slavery and the march westward...
Brogan identifies two major themes for this history: the role of slavery in determining the moral direction of the US and the drive West to secure its economic progress. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Dr. G. SPORTON
Wake up Brits
I am astonished at the tenor of the reviews on this site about this book, and as a Brit frankly somewhat ashamed. Read more
Published 23 months ago by conjunction
Eminently readable
Eminently readable despite its 752 pages, Brogan's humor shines through from Columbus to the present day. A comprehensive, fact-filled study of the US. Read more
Published on 3 April 2010 by Rose Wood
4 maybe 4.5- Brogan certainly is an expert.
This book goes in to a lot of depth about American History from founding fathers to modern day. Brogan is obviously an expert in the feild and coverys this very well, while still... Read more
Published on 14 Feb 2010 by Liam of Wales
Story more than history
Well, after reading this have learnt nothing new and I did'nt know that much about the subject anyway. Read more
Published on 3 Dec 2009 by Mr. P. S. Edmunds
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
