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Rating: 
Summary: George III never understood Americans, even in defeat.
Review: Alan Axelrod's finest book. He, In only 352 pages, explains early colonialism, commerce, trade, the growth of the colonies, 18th century American's mindset, and the entire war for their independence. His storybook style is so engaging, detail is never sacrificed for fear of reader runaway. I loved Part 1. In only 60 pages I learned more about early colonialism, along with England's, France's and Spain's stake in it, than in 13 years of public schooling. Does that make me an idiot or public school a joke? Either way, I was completely hooked. Axelrod takes each phase of the revolutionary process America and England fought for (and against) and gives it it's own personality. He explains how, as each event unfolded, mindsets changed or solidified. Both in America and in England. His expositions on famous battles, stratagies and results are the best part of the book. You can feel the pulse of each army and become a part of it. What's special though, is that he then lifts you into an omnipresent position where you see the blunders or genius of each side. I often asked myself, "Why did they do that?", or "How could they think that way?" That added a lot of fun to the reading of the book. Hindsight, what a tool! He also brings historical figures to life. Expect much more than, 'Washington crossed the river'. Benedict Arnold, Ethan Allen, General Cornwallis, King George III, Paul Revere, and John Paul Jones are only some of the many principal figures eloquently exposited without bogging the narrative down. I came away from the book with a deeper appreciation of how incredibly difficult it is for any nation, past or present, to form, complete and follow through with a revolution. The birth of a nation is nearly impossible. The American Forefathers were brave, visionary, intelligent, pragmatic and had a bulldog's resolve. Being an American is a mindset, not an ethnic background. Seeing what came of it all, I'm proud to be of their lineage.
Rating:
Summary: George III never understood Americans, even in defeat.
Review: Alan Axelrod's finest book. He, In only 352 pages, explains early colonialism, commerce, trade, the growth of the colonies, 18th century American's mindset, and the entire war for their independence. His storybook style is so engaging, detail is never sacrificed for fear of reader runaway. I loved Part 1. In only 60 pages I learned more about early colonialism, along with England's, France's and Spain's stake in it, than in 13 years of public schooling. Does that make me an idiot or public school a joke? Either way, I was completely hooked. Axelrod takes each phase of the revolutionary process America and England fought for (and against) and gives it it's own personality. He explains how, as each event unfolded, mindsets changed or solidified. Both in America and in England. His expositions on famous battles, stratagies and results are the best part of the book. You can feel the pulse of each army and become a part of it. What's special though, is that he then lifts you into an omnipresent position where you see the blunders or genius of each side. I often asked myself, "Why did they do that?", or "How could they think that way?" That added a lot of fun to the reading of the book. Hindsight, what a tool! He also brings historical figures to life. Expect much more than, 'Washington crossed the river'. Benedict Arnold, Ethan Allen, General Cornwallis, King George III, Paul Revere, and John Paul Jones are only some of the many principal figures eloquently exposited without bogging the narrative down. I came away from the book with a deeper appreciation of how incredibly difficult it is for any nation, past or present, to form, complete and follow through with a revolution. The birth of a nation is nearly impossible. The American Forefathers were brave, visionary, intelligent, pragmatic and had a bulldog's resolve. Being an American is a mindset, not an ethnic background. Seeing what came of it all, I'm proud to be of their lineage.
Rating:
Summary: Great, basic info in an easy-to-read format
Review: This is such an easy reference book on the subject! The book starts with ancient American history and goes through Y2K. Pretty comprehensive.It's written in an easy-to-read format, with chapters and sections clearly outlined, so one can just pick it up and start just about anywhere and read a section. It's pretty condensed, but a great starting point for lots of basic information. It's also not just about wars and other political incidents, but addresses things like the Constitution, Ross Perot, how Rockefeller got started, the end of slavery, the Right to Life movement... like I said, it's really comprehensive. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes history, but doesn't need or want a scholarly tome on the subject.
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