America The Story of Us: An Illustrated History - Softcover

Baker, Kevin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1422983439 ISBN 13: 9781422983430

Publisher: History, 2010

Synopsis

America The Story of Us is a groundbreaking series that brings to life the epic story of our nation in a new way for a new generation. The companion book, America The Story of Us is a history that is at once penetrating and lively, elegant and authoritative; great for serious reading as it is for casual skimming. America The Story of Us brings to life the vast forces that shaped this remarkable country and the ways in which revolutions in technology and transportation altered the way Americans lived, made money, and fought one another. Explored in these pages is the struggle between settlers and Native Americans; the epic conflict of slavery, from cotton gin to Civil War; the creation of the transcontinental railroad alongside the thundering herds of buffalo across the West; and how American ingenuity and determination both carried us through the Great Depression and won the Second World War. Beginning with Jamestown and Plymouth Bay, the first successful British colonies on the mainland, the book highlights the landmark moments in political, social, economic, and military history, from the prototypical entrepreneur John Rolfe and his tobacco seeds to Barack Obama and the seeds of change, from the Model T to the moon landing. Written by novelist, historian, and journalist Kevin Baker (a key contributor to The American Century, by Harold Evans), the narrative shares the TV series- eye for the dramatic moment in U.S. history-there is danger, action, struggle-while adding new layers of detail and nuance. America The Story of Us is decisive and essential, the story of the country that every family will want to own.

Foreword by President Obama

A stunning companion piece for the most anticipated HISTORY broadcast of all time, includes 412 heavily illustrated pages featuring over 300 full color images and layers of information including “charticles,” graphics, photographs, and text.

The adventure that became a nation – the complete history of the US has not been told for 40 years.

AMERICA the Story of Us is an exuberant, unprecedented look at the invention of America focusing on how events small and large are intrinsically linked to the exploration and innovation, leading us from the frontier to 21st century cities, from the Mississippi to the moon, from Jamestown to 9/11 up to present day. Moving though time and space linking key events, people and locations, capturing the vast sweep of American history— bringing viewers on a journey through the forces that shaped the destiny of America.

About this title

About the Author

Kevin Baker was born in August 1958, in Englewood, New Jersey, and grew up in Rockport, Massachusetts, a small town on the North Shore. He graduated from Columbia University in New York City in 1980, and since then has earned his living as a writer and editor.

His first novel, Sometimes You See It Coming, based loosely on the life of Ty Cobb, but set in the modern day, was published in hardcover by Crown in 1993 and in paperback by HarperPaperbacks in the spring of 2003. Dreamland, part of Baker’s New York‚ City of Fire trilogy was published by HarperCollins in 1999, and in paperback the following year. Paradise Alley was published by HarperCollins in 2002, and the third and final volume of the trilogy, Strivers Row, which was published in February, 2006. Kevin was the chief historical researcher on Harold Evans’ best–selling history, The American Century,published by Knopf in 1999. He wrote the monthly “In the News” column for American Heritage magazine from 1998-2007, and has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, The Frankfurter Rundschau, Harper’s magazine, Talk, and The Industry Standard, among other publications.

From the Inside Flap

America: The Story of Us is a full-color, deluxe history that is at once penetrating and lively, elegant and authoritative as perfect for serious reading as it is for casual skimming. A companion to the groundbreaking HistoryTM channel series America: The Story of Us, this stunning volume illuminates the epic story of our nation in a new way for a new generation.America: The Story of Us brings to life the vast forces that shaped this remarkable country and the ways in which revolutions in political thought, technology, and transportation altered the way Americans lived, made money, and fought one another. These pages explore the struggle between settlers and Native Americans; the tragic conflict and repercussions of slavery, from cotton gin to Civil War to civil rights; the creation of the transcontinental railroad alongside the thundering herds of buffalo across the West; and the American ingenuity and determination that both carried us through the Great Depression and helped us win World War II. Beginning with Jamestown and Plymouth Bay, the first successful British colonies on the mainland, the book highlights landmark moments in political, social, economic, and military history: from the prototypical entrepreneur John Rolfe and his tobacco seeds to Barack Obama and the seeds of change, from the Model T to the moon landing.The final section of the book lands the story, quite literally, directly in the reader s lap. Looking at major events since the end of World War II, from JFK s assassination to Obama s inauguration, the question becomes how these moments fit into the long view of American history. Or, more, directly, what does it mean to be an American, here, now?

Reviews

Ever since its first settlers came for freedom and wealth, America has always boasted a rambunctious, idiosyncratic population. In this poppy illustrated history, historian Baker even-handedly reveals how we gained independence, acquired vast territory, and made monumental industrial and technological advances while overcoming tragedies of war, civil and labor unrest, economic depression, and other grand challenges. Baker doesn't shy away from the darker corners of American history, and the origins and expansion of the slave trade, brutality towards Native Americans, and exploitation of land for profit are all covered here. As produced by the A&E network, this is a glossy, highly-accessible survey of the great American experiment from 1497 to today, full of eye-catching photography, charts, maps, highlighted text, and historical documents (there's not a single page free of some graphic element). If every history text was as lively as America, everyone would know our story. Illus. (Sept.)
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Edition details

• Publisher: History
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1422983439
• ISBN 13: 9781422983430
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 412