These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore, 2018
Read in September 2019
This America: The Case for the Nation by Jill Lepore, 2019
Read in September 2019These Truths is an ambitious one volume by historian and New Yorker magazine writer Jill Lepore. I first read a review of This America and saw that she had written the other book a year earlier. I decided to read one book and then the newer one. I read them both in a month.
I like reading books on history and this one was very fascinating because of the interesting perspective beyond the usual stories of the "great men" of history. It was all very diverse exploration of the ironies and contradictions of American history. The book also questions whether a nation founded under the principals of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution can survive the era of the internet, talk radio, 24 hour cable news and the other assaults on democracy.
This America is a followup to These Truths and explores nationalism in America and attempts to reclaim the past for the future. The book argues for a liberal vision of America and what it means to be an American. It is a very thoughtful and fascinating book.
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