Andrew Smith's Reviews > The History of the United States

This 42 hour long audiobook comprises 84 half-hour lectures on the history of the United States of America from its colonial origins to the beginning of the 21st century. It’s broken into three sections, each presented by one of three award winning historians.

Section 1

Focuses on the discovery by Europeans and their subsequent settlement, how this impacted the native population and also how this mix of people created a country unique amongst other, older nations of the West and of the world. It discusses how the United States managed to assimilate many different peoples from many different places and how this eclectic group, planted along the eastern coast of North America, developed such unprecedented religious, political and economic freedoms. Finally it talks of how the natural resources found in this land enabled its inhabitants to generate an abundance of wealth and of the many confrontations that transpired as it worked out how best to use it.

Led by Professor Allen C. Guelzo it’s told as the big story it is, in a really engaging way. It’s almost like a huge fictional tale, with the history being allowed to unfold with plenty of cliffhangers and loads of dramatic events. I really enjoyed the telling of this element of the country’s history.

Section 2

This section covers the events leading up to the American Civil War, the war itself and it’s immediate aftermath.

I’d previously listed to and extended series of lectures covering this period from Professor Gary W Gallagher, who delivers the sessions here. Again, it’s set out in the style of a good story and as in the Section 1 events are covered pretty much chronologically. But I think because I’d enjoyed the extended series covering this period so much I felt a little short changed by this section.

Section 3

This time the lectures are presented by an Englishman, Professor Patrick N. Allitt. After listening to two American voices, Allitt's East Midlands twang did feel a little incongruous but I soon got used to the change.

It picks up the period from the late 19th Century and takes us through to just beyond the start of the 21st Century. This time the style is different and the lectures are diced up according to various themes, such as industrialisation, railroads, indian wars, religion etc. It does follow a rough timeline through the period and, actually, I think this way of covering the period does work well. As with previous sections, I found it both entertaining and informative.

The series is supported by a 408 page document which provides additional information and pictures, recommended supporting reading and detailed timelines. It’s a very comprehensive document.

It’s a superb series of lectures and I’d recommend it to anyone interested in the history of this vast land. Despite its length it is positioned as an ‘introduction’ to the history of America and I can see why that is: despite providing a huge amount of information I kept thinking I’d like to know more about quite a number of themes and events. More study will certainly follow.