America: The Last Best Hope, Vol 2: From a World at War to the Triumph of Freedom
Written by William J. Bennett
Narrated by Jon Gauger
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
The second volume of Bennett's overview of U.S. history begins with the events leading up to WWI, tracing the progress of the U.S. through the end of Reagan's presidency.
Bennett has a long history of government service - he was Secretary of Education under Ronald Reagan and Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under George H.W. Bush - and the overall tone of the book reflects the deep respect he holds for America's leaders, history and institutions.
Bennett is a leading figure in the neoconservative movement, so his interpretation of America's last 90 years is informed by that perspective.
But while he wears both his patriotism and politics on his sleeve, Bennett avoids flag-waving or talk-radio-style generalizations. This is a breezy, heartfelt survey, written with the average listener in mind, that will appeal broadly to those looking for an America-friendly introduction to 20th century U.S. history.
©2007 William J. Bennett; (P)2009 Oasis
William J. Bennett
Dr. William J. Bennett is one of America’s most influential and respected voices on cultural, political, and educational issues. Host of The Bill Bennett Show podcast, he is also the Washington Fellow of the American Strategy Group. He is the author and editor of more than twenty-five books. Dr. Bennett served as the secretary of education and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Ronald Reagan and as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President George Herbert Walker Bush.
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Reviews for America
6 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A very broad, but not very deep, history of the United States from 1492 to 1914.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A seamless overview of United States history from the voyages of Christopher Columbus to the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. This book is good for those who want to fill in gaps or get a broad picture of US history. Without whitewashing the nation's past nor spraying it with graffiti, Bennett tells America's story as if he were sitting in the room talking to the reader, giving the reader a firm grasp of the past and thus, an understanding of the present. He elaborates on certain people such as Washington, Adams, Calhoun, and Lincoln which livens the story and propels it forward. I found it to be a very enjoyable book. Though it filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge of American history, because it is an overview, it did leave me with wanting to know more, which can be seen as both a positive and negative aspect of the book. I am looking forward to the second volume.
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