A History of the American People

By: Paul Johnson

Narrated by: Nadia May

Johnson's monumental history of the United States, from the first settlers to the Clinton administration, covers every aspect of American culture: politics, business, art, literature, science, society and customs, complex traditions, and religious beliefs. The story is told in terms of the men and women who shaped and led the nation and the ordinary people who collectively created its unique character.

Anne Hutchinson, Cotton Mather, Ben Franklin, Tom Paine, George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, among others, are all presented in a fresh perspective. Wherever possible, letters, diaries, and recorded conversations are used to ensure a sense of actuality.

This is an in-depth portrait of a great people, from their fragile origins and struggles for independence, to their heroic efforts and sacrifices to deal with the "organic sin" of slavery and the preservation of the Union, to their explosive economic growth and emergence as the world's greatest superpower.

©1997 Paul Johnson (P)1998 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Johnson is a lively writer (more so than nearly all other historians), and May's reading is sensitive to Johnson's wit and sharp comments....Her reading is lively, crisp, and sharp throughout." (AudioFile)

"A magnificent achievement...brilliantly combines broad sweep with extraordinary detail." (Wall Street Journal)

Excellent

I loved the overall history especially the reading by Nadia May. I thought the outlook was a bit biased towards the right of the political spectrum. However, that doesn’t take away from my general opinion of Paul Johnson or his history. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves their big history books.

A better understanding

There are so many times in history books or news articles where what happened was spun to serve someone purpose. This is the kind of book which will dig deeper and shed some light on these subjects and they suddenly seem less "black and white". Overall an amazing book with loads of information, although hard to stay focused on at times because of its thoroughness.

A British conservative's view of American history.

Absolutely wonderful. Covers history of the US from the first English settlers through the middle of the 1990s when the book was written. Very well read by Nadia May whose clear voice and pronunciation I found suited the book very well. One of the things I found most interesting is that Mr Johnson covers not only the facts but also the background philosophical views at the time as they pertain to the issues being covered. Thus Emerson and others come up not only as poet or writer, but also how their views supported or ran contrary to the then current American thinking.

While I found the entire book fascinating and full of nuggets of information I did not already know I found the treatment of the 20th century most interesting. Johnson's view of the years from Coolidge through Nixon is at odds with the views prevalent 30 years ago, but he makes his case very well indeed with facts, quotes and statistics. I heartily recommend this to anyone with an interest in US history.

Highly recommended.

Wonderful -- but too short.

What did you love best about A History of the American People?

The author's fair and evenhanded treatment of our history. Johnson is an Englishman, and this makes his views more interesting of course -- irrational perhaps, but true. This is probably why Alexis de Tocqueville's study of America so fascinates.

What other book might you compare A History of the American People to and why?

Paul Johnson's "Modern Times" was a book I read some years ago, and the compulsive readability of that history reminds me of this book.

What about Nadia May’s performance did you like?

She is at all times clear and concise. She uses accents sparingly and to good effect. And her own British accent is both pleasing (silly isn't it, how we Americans LOVE British accents!) and appropriate, given that it reflects the author himself.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but not really practical, given how long this book is!

Any additional comments?

Some reviewers accuse the author of "bias". This is spurious, given that ANY history that is not just an utterly dry recitation of dates and events requires the author to make judgements and -- after offering evidence -- express opinions.

That said, I guess there is no denying that those who regard FDR and JFK to have been flawless demigods; angels in human form descended from heaven to bless our poor republic with their holy powers my have some slight difficulty with the judgements expressed in this book.

In addition, those who consider Richard Nixon to have been a demon in human shape, an enemy of all that is right and good and pure, may in a similar fashion take exception to Paul Johnson's view of things.

On the whole I found the book a wonderful breath of fresh, politically incorrect air. Johnson shows America "warts and all". The damned evil of slavery for instance -- that original sin that so twisted and tortured the first hundred years of our republic (and whose death agonies haunt us still, right up to this day) -- is dealt with unflinchingly, with no excuses entertained, but without hyperbole.

The history of the American Indians (and yes, Johnson calls them INDIANS throughout the book, with no apologies) is likewise treated. The author does not at any time excuse injustices done against this people (or rather plural: PEOPLES, a very important fact to understand) but neither does he engage in the condescending business of elevating them to the status of utterly wise and flawless citizens of the Earth, in tune with nature and without any human weakness. That attitude is nothing more than a modern version of "the noble savage".

In short, this book is thought-provoking and endlessly engaging. You do not have to agree with everything the author thinks to enjoy this book, and profit from it.

Excellent

An excellent historical overview, well written.

Excellently narrated by Nadia May.

I have much greater understanding of this great country because of this book.

A Beautiful History

What a wonderful history of the greatest country in history. Paul Johnson has a love for America like no one else, and he tells our story beautifully. The book remains mostly apolitical until the last section, however Paul Johnson’s unapologetic insertion of his political perspective at the end does in no way detract from this book. America has an incredible story and this is a wonderful way to learn it. Also the narrator does a fantastic job and is easy to listen to and understand.

The only thing I wish is if the author had gone into more detail about the economic technological and industrial accomplishments of the United States. He certainly alludes to them, however they mostly glossed over minus a few brief mentions.

On the flip side Johnson does delve deeply into American culture, which is often overlooked because of the economic, technological and industrial achievements. That was very appreciated and I appreciated it very much.

Best I’ve read on American History

This is the best book on American History I’ve ever read and I’ve read plenty! Warning, it’s long and although other history books are more detailed in specific areas this is the best overall book on American history I’ve read.

Thorough Overview

I am sure Johnson could’ve written 270 chapters. He provides thorough overviews and then drills down on details when necessary. I was expecting a bit more out of the last 5 or so chapters, probably because I lived them. I would recommend this book for anyone seek a general overall history. Earliest chapters leading up to Revolution were the best in my mind.

A godless perspective yet has some insights

I wish Paul Johnson was a Christian then he could see the reasons in the trends of American history more accurately but he is guided by his godless world view. It leads him into wrong conclusions.

Worth it!

This was incredibly well-written and the performance was amazing. Buy it and enjoy. You won’t regret it.