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History of the United States During the Administrations of James Madison (Library of America) |
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History of the United States During the Administrations of James Madison (Library of America)
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by Henry Adams
Sales Rank: 509331
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Discount: 27 %
List Price: $45.00
$29.70
At Amazon
on 4-17-2008.
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Features
Cover Type: Hard Cover with 1436 pages
Published by: Library of America July 4, 1986
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0940450356
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0940450356
Book Dimensions:
8.1 x 5.2 x 1.7 inches
Weighs: 1.9 pounds
C. Vann Woodward, The New York Times Book Review
A master of English prose a History yet to be replaced.
Book Description
Judged to be one of the greatest histories in English, this monumental work culminated Adams' lifelong fascination with the intertwined pasts of his family and his country. Carefully researched and written in a strong, lively, and ironic style, the "History" chronicles the consolidation of American nationality and character amidst the dangerous conflicts of the Napoleonic era. The original 9-volume edition, long out-of-print, is complete in these two volumes.
Reader Reviews
It is hard to write a concise review of a volume of 1500 pages, and I did read the whole volume. When I subscribed to Library of America this was a volume that really interested me. I can say that it exceeded my expectations as a marvelous narrative history of an overshadowed era of American history. This volume has filled in my knowledge of this period and at the same time provided hours of entertainment. The book covers two primary topics. The first is the diplomatic history that led up to the War of 1812 and the second is the story of that war. James Madison is a background character who does not dominate the action as Jefferson did in Adam's previous volume. The scholarship is excellent as each event is covered in great detail. Adam's writing has a unique style that compares well to Edward Gibbon. The diplomatic history is covered in great detail with excerpts from letters and conversations telling the story of the arrogance of Napoleon and the British that culminated in the war. Napoleon is portrayed as a power seeker who lied to the Americans and stole their property with no compunctions. The British are even more villianous. They are portrayed as very thorough and practiced in their diplomatic dealings, treating America as a child with less status than when they were colonies. The studied contempt poured on the Americans made me angry. The war movement was led by Congress over the opposition of Madison. Britain became the object of war based upon the nearness of Canada and their continual impressment including the attack on an American warship before the war. The attacks of the Indians on the frontier stirred up by the British also fueled the aggressiveness of the Congressional War Hawks. The war of 1812 brings out Adams chauvanism. He continually praises the American soldiery despite their lack of any real success and saves his highest compliments for the American navy. I am not a military historian but given the fact that Washington was sacked and burned it would not appear that the American military was very effective. I did enjoy the portrayal of the Battle of New Orleans and have read it several times. The British got their ass kicked by their own admission and even though the war was over this victory made the nation proud. The naval exploits are supported by quotes from the British and it does appear that one on one the Americans were superior. The book closes with some interesting social history and concludes with Adams analysis of the effect of the war. He states that the war established the unity of the nation and assured the success of the American experiment. The ascendacy of New England that had given rise to the first secession movement was ended. The end of the fear of the European powers allowed America to concentrate on building their own nation. The people of America had gained the necessary confidence to strike their own way building a unique nation. 1500 pages is a lot of work. It was worth it to me. My knowledge and understanding of our history in this era was greatly increased. The writing is excellent and the LOA editions are always first rate. If you have the curiousity and make the investment of time I am sure you will find it worthwhile.
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History of the United States During the Administrations of James Madison (Library of America)
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Price: $29.70
Updated on 4-17-2008.
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