A History of the American People

This is my first book to read by Paul Johnson. It exceeded every expectation I had. Having just finished “A short history of the United States“ by Robert V. Remini, and knowing that Johnson‘s book was three times the length, I waded in. It was not long before I recognized a genius at work.Johnson approaches American history from several perspectives. First, the book is a history of the US presidents. I’ve read several lengthy presidential biographies, and was amazed at how complete Johnson‘s descriptions and insights were as he treated each of our chief executives. If you simply read his summaries of each of the presidents, it would be a fabulous book. He found positive things in presidents who have historically received low ratings, and pointed out the flaws in those presidents who have received the best ratings. (Only exception: Abraham Lincoln, who is described in glowing terms exclusively.)Second, he uses statistics, which can be boring, to paint and fill out a holistic picture of every major time period. He explains developments in economics, employment, warfare, politics, etc. with page after page of statistics. Somehow, this helped to make the story come even more alive.Third, he writes history as a cohesive story. The book may be history in a strict sense, but it is narrative at its best. He connects the major threads of the American story from chapter to chapter, forward and backward. I got so hooked that I read hours at a time and simply could not stop. “Truth is stranger than fiction.”In the first 2/3 of the book, Johnson does not reveal his own political stance or cultural worldview. But by the time he gets to the late 20th century, however, his political conservatism becomes clear. Although I’m a bit more progressive than he is, I couldn’t argue with the statistics and facts he presented to make his case. He is a thinker’s conservative, without being an intellectual snob – one of the traits he hates most in East Coast newspapers and private schools.Bottom line: Paul Johnson is an Englishman who treasures the history of the United States, who tells the story of America with generous appreciation and appropriate criticism, and whose insights are rich and deep — even if you disagree with some of his interpretive conclusions.

This is one of Paul Johnson's books that I loved so much that I've read it twice and have given copies of it to family and friends. (I have also read The Birth of the Modern and The Offshore Islanders twice. I found them just so very interesting.) This history of America is, like virtually everything he writes, eminently readable, fascinating, learned, and delightful. My only quibble with him is his take on Daniel Webster, whom he does not seem to admire. Which is OK, but I think every history of America should quote and highly esteem "Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!" I wrote the author a note (not sure he ever got it) about this thought, suggesting an idea for a second edition if there ever is one. That quibble aside, this book is wonderful and a delight. His introduction is very moving.

I'm three-fifths through this. I've read Page Smith five volumes, but I also appreciate this history by Paul Johnson. Love his style and he includes many anecdote I was not previously aware of. I did not catch an bias as is often found in U.S. histories. Recommended.Update: I have now completed it. Wow. Terrific. Just finished this U.S. history book. Highly recommended. Unlike most of today's histories, I found this, written by an Englishman to be unbiased. Very informative and interesting. I learned a lot I didn't know before. If you don't have time to read it all, read the last half, if not that, read the last quarter, and if not that, at least the last few chapters. This should be in every school and library. There are abundant source notes and an index.

"I am not a history buff, but *A History of the American People* is the best and most engaging history book I have ever read. The book is 1088 pages including 84 pages of end notes and a 28-page index but, like a good movie, seems much shorter. The book is organized into 8 parts: 1. A City on a Hill (Colonial America, 1580-1750), 2. That the Free Constitution Be Sacredly Maintained (Revolutionary America, 1750-1815), 3. A General Happy Mediocrity Prevails (Democratic America, 1815-1850), 4. The Almost Chosen People (Civil War America, 1950-1870), 5. Huddled Masses and Crosses of Gold (Industrial America, 1970-1912), 6. The First International Nation (Melting Pot America, 1912-1929), 7. Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself (Superpower America, 1929-1960), and 8. We Will Pay Any Price, Bear Any Burden (Problem-Solving, Problem-Creating America, 1960-1977). This book was recommended to me by a friend (Thank you, Dr. Brown) as a fascinating read, and it actually was.Nowadays, we have large scale revisionist history promulgated by know-nothings. No doubt it will soon be legal to marry your dog all the while claiming that the U.S. Constitution prohibits otherwise. Perhaps I shouldn't use the term "revisionist history" since there is a better verb. I should know because I "revised history" plenty of times as a child. When revisionist history was uncovered in my home I was spanked. That's when I learned that to revise history and to lie are the same thing.Today, the original intent of the authors of the Constitution is counting for less and less. However, as Johnson's book amply documents, America was always a religious nation and religion in general (and Protestant Christianity in particular) was and remains a powerful and socially stabilizing influence. For that reason, America very quickly developed into a safe harbor for all religions. This uniquely American attitude was fostered by nearly limitless supply and unfettered competition for goods and services. In these respects, Johnson shows that the United States is still the freest country despite its many dark times -- also amply documented.My favorite section of the book is Part 8 -- with Americans being highlighted as problem solvers extraordinaire. Having lived in Europe, I know that the desire to change things for the better is quickly opposed for Europeans at an early age -- there is simply too much bureaucracy to overcome and one can only bang one's head against the wall for so long before giving up. That is not to say that truly extraordinary entrepreneurs cannot come from European soil -- Sir Richard Branson comes to mind -- but the process is much tougher outside the U.S. than inside it. For example, I can start a wallpaper hanging business tomorrow with $100 for a business license. There are no guilds to join, no apprenticeships to complete, and nothing to stop me from succeeding (or failing) but my own skill. Compared with most nations, this is a completely unique freedom, and like all freedoms, it has an upside and a downside.Lately, however, America has undergone a revolutionary and foreign change whereby incompetent companies (e.g., General Motors) have been rescued and corrupt unions have been rewarded. However, if Johnson is right, America will not suffer the "too big to fail" mentality for long before issuing a major correction. The 2010 mid-term election will be the perfect test of this book's prescience.This book was originally copyright in 1977 and is already out of print. However, out of print books are easier (and cheaper) than ever to obtain with a host of booksellers dedicated to the art. Even Amazon.com hosts this activity. If one is interested in what makes America quintessentially American, one would do well to read this book.

Lo había buscando muchísimo y lo encontré a un excelente precio.Un libro impresionante de Paul Johnson

Best book on the subject as far as I'm concerned. Erudite but hugely readable.

This is quite an old but really excellent history of the people of the United States by a top historian who used to write reviews for the Spectator magazine in the UK

Importante fonte para a compreensão da história do povo Americano!

I confess I have always enjoyed Paul Johnson's style. Though a truly learned person he avoids rubbing every quotation in your face. Instead what you get is a good journalistic account; not a first draft, but a decent second draft of history with an eye for the interesting and obscure. No doubt Johnson has firm views, but in this world, that's a godsend; it leads to analysis instead of platitudes. A great read that will inform, educate and entertain.