20 Best Books About America (2023 Update)

An authoritative, accessible guide to the figures who shaped a nation how did upstart colonists solidify the ideas celebrated in the declaration of independence and defeat the powerful british army? how did thinkers from disparate backgrounds shape a government that transformed modern politics? the founding fathers explains how, putting valuable information on this historic period at your fingertips–straight from one of the most trusted sources of information around the globe. this comprehensive guide takes a compelling look at prominent statesmen such as benjamin franklin, thomas jefferson, thomas paine, and george washington and lesser-known but influential leaders such as samuel chase, charles pinckney, and others. alphabetized for easy reference, it also offers discussions of key issues, including slavery, the separation of powers, the presidency, and deism and christianity; events, such as the american revolution, the whiskey rebellion, and the louisiana purchase; and documents, including the constitution and the bill of rights. every special essay and concise entry–from ""abigail adams"" to ""george wythe""–promotes the deeper understanding of the personalities, issues, and events that only encyclop'dia britannica can provide. the book's balanced, fact-based coverage of the founding fathers is especially relevant today, when differing interpretations of their intent are used in debates over current policies. the founding fathers is the ideal resource for anyone looking to hone his or her knowledge of the fascinating figures who wrote the first chapter of u.s. history.

A multicultural, multinational history of colonial america from the pulitzer prize-winning author of the internal enemy and american revolutionsin the first volume in the penguin history of the united states, edited by eric foner, alan taylor challenges the traditional story of colonial history by examining the many cultures that helped make america, from the native inhabitants from milennia past, through the decades of western colonization and conquest, and across the entire continent, all the way to the pacific coast.transcending the usual anglocentric version of our colonial past, he recovers the importance of native american tribes, african slaves, and the rival empires of france, spain, the netherlands, and even russia in the colonization of north america. moving beyond the atlantic seaboard to examine the entire continent, american colonies reveals a pivotal period in the global interaction of peoples, cultures, plants, animals, and microbes. in a vivid narrative, taylor draws upon cutting-edge scholarship to create a timely picture of the colonial world characterized by an interplay of freedom and slavery, opportunity and loss." formidable . . . provokes us to contemplate the ways in which residents of north america have dealt with diversity." -the new york times book review

New york times bestseller the new york times bestselling author of george washington's secret six and thomas jefferson and the tripoli pirates turns to two other heroes of the nation: abraham lincoln and frederick douglass.in the president and the freedom fighter, brian kilmeade tells the little-known story of how two american heroes moved from strong disagreement to friendship, and in the process changed the entire course of history. abraham lincoln was white, born impoverished on a frontier farm. frederick douglass was black, a child of slavery who had risked his life escaping to freedom in the north. neither man had a formal education, and neither had had an easy path to influence. no one would have expected them to become friends—or to transform the country. but lincoln and douglass believed in their nation’s greatness. they were determined to make the grand democratic experiment live up to its ideals. lincoln’s problem: he knew it was time for slavery to go, but how fast could the country change without being torn apart? and would it be possible to get rid of slavery while keeping america’s constitution intact? douglass said no, that the constitution was irredeemably corrupted by slavery—and he wanted lincoln to move quickly. sharing little more than the conviction that slavery was wrong, the two men’s paths eventually converged. over the course of the civil war, they’d endure bloodthirsty mobs, feverish conspiracies, devastating losses on the battlefield, and a growing firestorm of unrest that would culminate on the fields of gettysburg. as he did in george washington's secret six, kilmeade has transformed this nearly forgotten slice of history into a dramatic story that will keep you turning the pages to find out how these two heroes, through their principles and patience, not only changed each other, but made america truly free for all.

The #1 new york times bestseller by pulitzer prize–winning historian david mccullough rediscovers an important chapter in the american story that’s “as resonant today as ever” (the wall street journal)—the settling of the northwest territory by courageous pioneers who overcame incredible hardships to build a community based on ideals that would define our country.as part of the treaty of paris, in which great britain recognized the new united states of america, britain ceded the land that comprised the immense northwest territory, a wilderness empire northwest of the ohio river containing the future states of ohio, indiana, illinois, michigan, and wisconsin. a massachusetts minister named manasseh cutler was instrumental in opening this vast territory to veterans of the revolutionary war and their families for settlement. included in the northwest ordinance were three remarkable conditions: freedom of religion, free universal education, and most importantly, the prohibition of slavery. in 1788 the first band of pioneers set out from new england for the northwest territory under the leadership of revolutionary war veteran general rufus putnam. they settled in what is now marietta on the banks of the ohio river. mccullough tells the story through five major characters: cutler and putnam; cutler’s son ephraim; and two other men, one a carpenter turned architect, and the other a physician who became a prominent pioneer in american science. “with clarity and incisiveness, [mccullough] details the experience of a brave and broad-minded band of people who crossed raging rivers, chopped down forests, plowed miles of land, suffered incalculable hardships, and braved a lonely frontier to forge a new american ideal” (the providence journal). drawn in great part from a rare and all-but-unknown collection of diaries and letters by the key figures, the pioneers is a uniquely american story of people whose ambition and courage led them to remarkable accomplishments. “a tale of uplift” (the new york times book review), this is a quintessentially american story, written with david mccullough’s signature narrative energy.

The new york times bestseller a new york times notable and critics' top book of 2016longlisted for the pen/john kenneth galbraith award for nonfiction – one of npr's 10 best books of 2016 faced tough topics head on – npr's book concierge guide to 2016's great reads – san francisco chronicle's best of 2016: 100 recommended books "when you turn an election into a three-ring circus, there's always a chance that the dancing bear will win," says isenberg of the political climate surrounding sarah palin. yet the voters who boosted trump all the way to the white house have been a permanent part of our american fabric, argues isenberg. the wretched and landless poor have existed from the time of the earliest british colonial settlement to today's hillbillies. they were alternately known as "waste people," "offals," "rubbish," "lazy lubbers," and "crackers." by the 1850s, the downtrodden included so-called "clay eaters" and "sandhillers," known for prematurely aged children distinguished by their yellowish skin, ragged clothing, and listless minds. surveying political rhetoric and policy, popular literature and scientific theories over four hundred years, isenberg upends assumptions about america's supposedly class-free society–where liberty and hard work were meant to ensure real social mobility. poor whites were central to the rise of the republican party in the early nineteenth century, and the civil war itself was fought over class issues nearly as much as it was fought over slavery. reconstruction pitted poor white trash against newly freed slaves, which factored in the rise of eugenics–a widely popular movement embraced by theodore roosevelt that targeted poor whites for sterilization. these poor were at the heart of new deal reforms and lbj's great society; they haunt us in reality tv shows like here comes honey boo boo and duck dynasty. marginalized as a class, white trash have always been at or near the center of major political debates over the character of the american identity.

New york times bestseller – notable book of the year – editors' choice selectionone of bill gates’ “amazing books” of the yearlonglisted for the national book awardthis “powerful and disturbing history” exposes how american governments deliberately imposed racial segregation on metropolitan areas nationwide (new york times book review). widely heralded as a “masterful” (washington post) and “essential” (slate) history of the modern american metropolis, richard rothstein’s the color of law offers “the most forceful argument ever published on how federal, state, and local governments gave rise to and reinforced neighborhood segregation” (william julius wilson). exploding the myth of de facto segregation arising from private prejudice or the unintended consequences of economic forces, rothstein describes how the american government systematically imposed residential segregation: with undisguised racial zoning; public housing that purposefully segregated previously mixed communities; subsidies for builders to create whites-only suburbs; tax exemptions for institutions that enforced segregation; and support for violent resistance to african americans in white neighborhoods. a groundbreaking, “virtually indispensable” study that has already transformed our understanding of twentieth-century urban history (chicago daily observer), the color of law forces us to face the obligation to remedy our unconstitutional past.

A new, completely revised, expanded and updated edition of the million-selling new york times bestseller that launched the entire don't know much about series when don't know much about history first appeared thirteen years ago, it created a sensation. with humor, wit, great stories, and a trademark conversational style, the book brought americans a fresh new take on history. shattering myths and vividly bringing the past to life, it spent thirty-five consecutive weeks on the new york times bestseller list. davis proved that americans don't hate history — they just hate the dull textbook version they were force-fed in school. the book became an instant classic, an "anti -textbook" that has sold more than 1.3 million copies. in his irreverent and popular question-and- answer style, davis now returns with a completely revised edition that brings history right up to the moment — covering such topics as the end of the cold war, clinton's impeachment, the bizarre election of 2000, and the events that led to september 11. incorporating new research and discoveries, davis also updates and expands on such long-standing american controversies as the jefferson-hemings affair, the alger hiss trial, and the rosenberg spy case. and he includes an expanded "civics lesson" that examines some of america's hottest social and political issues, such as the death penalty, gun control, and school prayer. for history buffs and history-phobes alike, longtime fans who need a refresher course, and for a new generation of americans who are still in the dark about america's past, davis proves once more why people magazine said, "reading him is like returning to the classroom of the best teacher you ever had."

In this unique biography of thomas jefferson, leading journalist and social critic christopher hitchens offers a startlingly new and provocative interpretation of our founding father. situating jefferson within the context of america's evolution and tracing his legacy over the past two hundred years, hitchens brings the character of jefferson to life as a man of his time and also as a symbolic figure beyond it. conflicted by power, jefferson wrote the declaration of independence and acted as minister to france yet yearned for a quieter career in the virginia legislature. predicting that slavery would shape the future of america's development, this professed proponent of emancipation elided the issue in the declaration and continued to own human property. an eloquent writer, he was an awkward public speaker; a reluctant candidate, he left an indelible presidential legacy. jefferson's statesmanship enabled him to negotiate the louisiana purchase with france, doubling the size of the nation, and he authorized the lewis and clark expedition, opening up the american frontier for exploration and settlement. hitchens also analyzes jefferson's handling of the barbary war, a lesser-known chapter of his political career, when his attempt to end the kidnapping and bribery of americans by the barbary states, and the subsequent war with tripoli, led to the building of the u.s. navy and the fortification of america's reputation regarding national defense. in the background of this sophisticated analysis is a large historical drama: the fledgling nation's struggle for independence, formed in the crucible of the eighteenth-century enlightenment, and, in its shadow, the deformation of that struggle in the excesses of the french revolution. this artful portrait of a formative figure and a turbulent era poses a challenge to anyone interested in american history — or in the ambiguities of human nature.

In this ambitious survey of the last century of american history, oluo answers that question by pinpointing white men's deliberate efforts to subvert women, people of color, and the disenfranchised. through research, interviews, and the powerful, personal writing for which she is celebrated, oluo investigates the backstory of america's growth, from immigrant migration to our national ethos around ingenuity, from the shaping of economic policy to the protection of sociopolitical movements that fortify male power. in the end, she shows how white men have long maintained a stranglehold on leadership and sorely undermined the pursuit of happiness for all.

A new york times bestseller, "the dying citizen is essential reading for any american who cares about the fate of our nation" (mark r. levin) human history is full of the stories of peasants, subjects, and tribes. yet the concept of the "citizen" is historically rare–and was among america's most valued ideals for over two centuries. but without shock treatment, warns victor davis hanson, american citizenship may soon vanish. in the dying citizen, hanson outlines the forces that led to this crisis. the evisceration of the middle class has made many americans dependent on the federal government. open borders have undermined allegiance to a particular place. identity politics have eradicated our collective sense of self. and a top-heavy state has endangered personal liberty. with a new epilogue that assesses how the events of 2021 have further diminished the meaning of american citizenship, the dying citizen is a clarion call to rebuild our collective national identity.

Named one of the ten best books of the year by the chicago tribune – a publishers weekly best book of 2019 | a 2019 npr staff pick – a pathbreaking history of the united states’ overseas possessions and the true meaning of its empire but what about the actual territories—the islands, atolls, and archipelagos—this country has governed and inhabited? in crackling, fast-paced prose, he reveals forgotten episodes that cast american history in a new light. in puerto rico, immerwahr shows how u.s. doctors conducted grisly experiments they would never have conducted on the mainland and charts the emergence of independence fighters who would shoot up the u.s. congress. – in the years after world war ii, immerwahr notes, the united states moved away from colonialism. instead, it put innovations in electronics, transportation, and culture to use, devising a new sort of influence that did not require the control of colonies. rich with absorbing vignettes, full of surprises, and driven by an original conception of what empire and globalization mean today, how to hide an empire is a major and compulsively readable work of history.

A new york times bestseller "at a time when the meaning of america is up for grabs, cody keenan's new book chronicles ten days that tested us and ultimately showed us at our best. it's a captivating story about what's worth fighting for, an antidote to cynicism that will make you believe again."–president barack obama, via twitter from barack obama's chief speechwriter cody keenan, a spellbinding account of the ten most dramatic days of the presidency, when a hate-fueled massacre and looming supreme court decisions put the character of our country on the line, and a president's words could bring the nation together or tear it apart. a white supremacist shooting and an astonishing act of forgiveness. a national reckoning with race and the confederate flag. the fate of marriage equality and the affordable care act. grace is the propulsive story of ten days in june 2015, when obama and his chief speechwriter cody keenan composed a series of high-stakes speeches to meet a succession of stunning developments. through behind-the-scenes moments–from obama's suggestion that keenan pour a drink, listen to some miles davis, and "find the silences," to the president's late-night writing sessions in the first family's residence–keenan takes us inside the craft of speechwriting at the highest level for the most demanding of bosses, the relentlessly poetic and perfectionist barack obama. grace also delivers a fascinating portrait of white house insiders like ben rhodes, valerie jarrett, jen psaki, and the speechwriting team responsible for pulling it all off during a furious, historic stretch of the obama presidency–including a gifted fact-checker who took keenan's rhetoric to task before taking his hand in marriage. grace is the most intimate writing that exists on the rhetorical tightrope our first black president had to walk, culminating with an unforgettable high point: obama stunning everybody by taking a deep breath and leading the country in a chorus of "amazing grace."

"every chapter of race in america examines how racism intersects with other forms of social division-those based on gender, class, sexuality, ability, religion, and nationhood-as well as how whiteness surrounds us in unnamed ways that produce and reproduce a multitude of privileges for white people. in the revised second edition, students will find relevant examples drawn from the headlines and from their own experiences. each chapter is updated to include references to recent social movements and popular culture, making the book a more helpful tool for navigating society's critical conversations about race, racism, ethnicity, and white privilege. and throughout the book, students will find updated scholarship and data figures, reflecting the most cutting-edge sociological research"–

A call for the separation of race and state, backed by a deep dive into the surreal world of racial classification in america.“ the racial categories that the schools use are completely bonkers, an arbitrary mess mostly left over from the work of federal bureaucrats in the 1970s that can’t withstand the slightest scrutiny. the administrators who rely on these categories are beholden to senseless and unscientific distinctions—they aren’t even competent or rational racialists. justice samuel alito raised this issue in the arguments, pretty clearly relying on the work of george mason university professor david bernstein, who eviscerated the categories in an amicus brief and has written a book on their origin and implications, classified: the untold story of racial classification in america.” –national reviewamericans are understandably squeamish about official racial and ethnic classifications. nevertheless, they are ubiquitous in american life. applying for a job, mortgage, university admission, citizenship, government contracts, and much more involves checking a box stating whether one is black, white, asian, hispanic, or native american. while reviewing the surprising history of american racial classifications, classified raises questions about the classifications’ coherence, logic, and fairness; for example: – should pakistani, chinese, and filipino americans be in the same category despite their obvious differences in culture, appearance, religion, and more? – why does the government not allow americans to classify themselves as bi- or multi-racial? – how did the government decide that a dark-complexioned, burka-wearing muslim yemini should be classified as generically white, but a blond-haired, blue-eyed immigrant from spain should be classified as hispanic and treated as a member of a minority group? – why does the government require biomedical researchers to classify study participants by the official racial categories, when the classifications have no scientific basis? in an increasingly diverse society with high rates of intergroup marriage, the american system of racial classification is getting even more arbitrary and absurd. with rising ethno-nationalism threatening democracy around the world, it’s also dangerous. classified argues that the time has come to consider abolishing official racial classification and replace it with the separation of race and state.

Of the people presents a balance of social, political, and cultural history in a chronological sequence. it traces the history of america – its people, places, and ideals – and unfolds the story of american democracy, carefully marking how the country''s evolution has been anything but certain from its complex beginnings to its modern challenges.

A new york times bestseller! a growing number of americans want to tear down what it’s taken us 250 years to build—and they’ll start by canceling our shared history, ideals, and culture. – traditional areas of civic agreement are vanishing. – who are the disintegrationists? from howard zinn’s a people’s history of the united states to the new york times’ 1619 project, many modern analyses view american history through the lens of competing oppressions, a racist and corrupt experiment from the very beginning. they see american philosophy as a lie – beautiful words pasted over a thoroughly rotted system. they see america’s culture of rights as a façade that merely reinforces traditional hierarchies of power, instead of being the only culture that guarantees freedom for individuals. – disintegrationist attacks on the values that built our nation are insidious because they replace each foundational belief, from the rights to free speech and self-defense to the importance of marriage and faith communities, with nothing more than an increased reliance on the government. this twisted disintegrationist vision replaces the traditional “unionist” understanding that all americans are united in a shared striving toward the perfection of universal ideals.

A new york times bestseller! a growing number of americans want to tear down what it’s taken us 250 years to build—and they’ll start by canceling our shared history, ideals, and culture. – traditional areas of civic agreement are vanishing. – who are the disintegrationists? from howard zinn’s a people’s history of the united states to the new york times’ 1619 project, many modern analyses view american history through the lens of competing oppressions, a racist and corrupt experiment from the very beginning. they see american philosophy as a lie – beautiful words pasted over a thoroughly rotted system. they see america’s culture of rights as a façade that merely reinforces traditional hierarchies of power, instead of being the only culture that guarantees freedom for individuals. – disintegrationist attacks on the values that built our nation are insidious because they replace each foundational belief, from the rights to free speech and self-defense to the importance of marriage and faith communities, with nothing more than an increased reliance on the government. this twisted disintegrationist vision replaces the traditional “unionist” understanding that all americans are united in a shared striving toward the perfection of universal ideals.

Instant new york times bestseller – washington post bestseller – usa today bestseller – indie bound bestseller – authors round the south bestseller – midwest indie bestseller – new york times bestselling author sarah kendzior documents the truth about the calculated rise to power of donald trump since the 1980s and how the erosion of our liberties made an american demagogue possible. – the story of donald trump’s rise to power is the story of a buried american history – buried because people in power liked it that way. it was visible without being seen, influential without being named, ubiquitous without being overt. sarah kendzior’s hiding in plain sight pulls back the veil on a history spanning decades, a history of an american autocrat in the making. in doing so, she reveals the inherent fragility of american democracy – how our continual loss of freedom, the rise of consolidated corruption, and the secrets behind a burgeoning autocratic united states have been hiding in plain sight for decades. – in kendzior’s signature and celebrated style, she expertly outlines trump’s meteoric rise from the 1980s until today, interlinking key moments of his life with the degradation of the american political system and the continual erosion of our civil liberties by foreign powers. kendzior also offers a never-before-seen look at her lifelong tendency to be in the wrong place at the wrong time – living in new york through 9/11 and in st. louis during the ferguson uprising, and researching media and authoritarianism when trump emerged using the same tactics as the post-soviet dictatorships she had long studied.

From bestselling historian h. brands, an incisive chronicle of the events and trends that guided-and sometimes misguided-our nation from the a-bomb to the iphone. for a brief, bright moment in 1945, america stood at its apex, looking back on victory not only against the axis powers but against the great depression, and looking ahead to seemingly limitless power and promise. brands's stature. as american dreams opens, brands shows us a country dramatically different from our own-more unequal in social terms but more equal economically, more religious and rural but also more liberal and more wholeheartedly engaged with the rest of the world. in brands's adroit hands, these trends unfold through a character-driven narrative that sheds brilliant light on the obvious highs and lows-from watergate to the berlin wall, from apollo 11 to 9/11, from my lai to shock and awe. but he also chronicles the surprising impact of less celebrated events and trends. blending political and cultural history with his keen sense of the spirit of the times, brands captures the national experience through the last six decades and reveals the still-unfolding legacy of dreams born out of a global cataclysm.

A new, completely revised, expanded and updated edition of the million-selling new york times bestseller that launched the entire dont know much about series. when don't know much about history first appeared, it created a sensation. with humor, great stories, and a trademark conversational style, the book brought americans a fresh new take on history. davis proved americans don't hate historythey just hate the dull version they were force-fed in school. in his irreverent and popular question-and-answer style, davis now returns with a completely revised edition that brings history right up to the momentcovering such topics as the end of the cold war, clinton's impeachment, the bizarre election of 2000, and the events that led to september 11. incorporation new research and discoveries, davis also updates and expands on such long-standing american controversies as the hiss trial, and he includes an expanded civics-lesson that examines some of america's hottest social and political issues, such as the death penalty and school prayer. for history buffs and history-phobes alike, davis proves once more why people magazine said that listening to him is like returning to the classroom of the best teacher you ever had.