The Idea of America

Reflections on the Birth of the United States

De: Gordon S Wood

Narrado por: Robert Fass

The preeminent historian of the American Revolution explains why it remains the most significant event in our history.

©2011 Gordon S. Wood (P)2011 Penguin

Sophisticated analyses

These essays are sophisticated historical analyses. A listener needs to be familiar with the major developments of the Revolutionary and early Republican periods as well as with the major historical interpretations of such periods. This is therefore not an introductory work.

It is instead an advanced scholarly work. The essays challenge some of the commonly accepted interpretations of our early history in some intriguing and well argued ways. I found them both convincing and enjoyable.

Excellent primer for putting today in context and in perspective

Wood helps makes the mania of today understandable, but no less intolerable. Should be required reading for members of Congress.

Excellent on explaining Wood’s Methodology…

Much of this was meta history as well as briefer statements of observations in Wood’s other books.

MetaHistory

This is a history of historian's views of the American Revolution and following years, not a history of those years per se. Very, very abstract and vague. Almost no names of individuals (except to say they weren't exactly mad)... A lot more mention of historians from the 1940s to 1970s than of the founding fathers or anyone else from circa 1800 AD.