Rating: 
Summary: American History for History Nuts
Review: This book is simply the best book I have ever read on American history. Paul Johnson's writing style and unsurpassed grasp of research into demographic, political, religious, cultural, military and economic areas is woven into a masterful summary of the people and personalities which have shaped American history.The narrative moves seemlessly from one important influence and time period to the next, challenging myths and legends of the founders and foundations of the American Republic and debunking current myths about recent political leaders. America's uniqe culture and history and important place on the world stage is shown to be a result of the special culture of individual responsibliity and moral and religious underpinnings. This book has driven me to buy and read the rest of Mr. Johnson's works. If you buy one book on American history, is should be this one.
Rating: 
Summary: A jaw dropper on Nixon
Review: Paul Johnson, who wrote the epochal _Modern Times_, has more recently delivered this behemoth on the history of America. This excellent work, which overall I heartily recommend to all Amazon customers, demostrates what I pointed out in my review of _Modern Times_; Johnson, like most historians, is at his best when he's talking about events far enough in the past that they can be objectively analyzed. From the 16th century right up through the early Cold War period, Johnson's analysis is, IMO, unparalleled in its clear-eyed objectivity. He takes hard looks at the follies of both Left and Right. Civil War fans will particularly be interested in his word-portraits of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Johnson stumbles, though (and I feel I can legitimately say this as a conservative) in his recounting of more recent events. As I remarked in my _Modern Times_ review, when it comes to post-1950 history, Paul Johnson's writing probably best belongs in National Review as an op-ed. Not that there's anything wrong with that. National Review is the flagship think-mag of conservatism, and Johnson's writing lays out the conservative view in smart, crisp fashion. One would have wished, though, that he would have taken a more nuanced view of Watergate, which, as in _Modern Times_, he dismisses as a case of liberal hysteria. Most of us (those of us who are old enough to remember) remember the proceedings somewhat differently. All the same, though, this is a most worthy work, written in the same crisp, incisive style as all his other historical works. Buy it and be enlightened by the story of how the American people came to be as they are today.
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