Luanne Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 What is a good thing to get a good overview of American History? I don't want to spend a lot of time on it and I don't want to be bored to sleep by it. What do you suggest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Cartoon Guide to the History of the U.S. (or something like that) by Larry Gonick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I love the Teaching Co.' s American Identity. The professor is a wonderful lecturer, often very funny and very insightful. He teaches history through biographies of different Americans, some famous, some not so famous but still reflective of crucial developments in American history. Highly enjoyable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 It would be easy, but The Landmark Book of American History (Sonlight uses it for 3 and 4 cores) was readable, interesting, and helpful in understanding some basic concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Joy Hakim who wrote the ten volume History of US books (which are available on audio if you prefer listening to your history) also wrote a one volume book to accompany the PBS miniseries Freedom. It's Freedom: A History of US. Alternatively if your library has the miniseries, you could view your history. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedarmom Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 William Bennett: America the Last Best Hope Paul Johnson :History of The AMerican People Any teching company Dvd's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Lies My History Teacher Taught Me is a good overview, not of chronological history, although it is in basically chronological order, but of major issues in history and the writing of history in textbooks. It is highly readable and an education in the politics behind textbook representations of how history happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 I think A People's History of the U.S., by Howard Zinn, is just great, though it is not a quick read at all. And I doubt you'd be bored by it, as it is so challenging and thought-provoking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 The Clarence Carson series is excellent, I have just been re-reading them myself. I also treated myself to Boorstin's American Experience trilogy and I am really loving it. I don't find either boring in the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saille Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 A Voyage Long and Strange, by Tony Horwitz, is a great overview of the early explorers and colonists. He writes it both as a history and as a travelogue, as he goes from site to site looking for answers, so it's very entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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