American Empire

The Rise of a Global Power, the Democratic Revolution at Home 1945-2000

By: Joshua Freeman

Narrated by: Don Hagen

A compelling look at the movements and developments that propelled America to world dominance.

In this landmark work, acclaimed historian Joshua Freeman has created an epic portrait of a nation both galvanized by change and driven by conflict. Beginning in 1945, the economic juggernaut awakened by World War II transformed a country once defined by its regional character into a uniform and cohesive power and set the stage for the United States’ rise to global dominance.

Meanwhile, Freeman locates the profound tragedy that has shaped the path of American civic life, unfolding how the civil rights and labor movements worked for decades to enlarge the rights of millions of Americans, only to watch power ultimately slip from individual citizens to private corporations.

Moving through McCarthyism and Vietnam, from the Great Society to Morning in America, Joshua Freeman’s sweeping story of a nation’s rise reveals forces at play that will continue to affect the future role of American influence and might in the greater world.

©2012 Joshua Freeman (P)2012 Gildan Media LLC

Too many compeitors

The book is good for what it intends to do. The author is clear on his themes and sticks to them. This Penguin series has stiff competition though in the Oxford series, which I prefer over this even if lengthier. (Taylor’s American Colonies is an exception). The audio version seems dubbed straight from cd too so it has periodic silences.

Thorough and even handed

This book provides an accurate assessment of the intricate interplay between national and international dynamics in an ever more interconnected, interdependent world.

It equally compliments and criticizes both parties leaders, bringing a clear-eyed perspective to the unintended consequences of the sort of good intentions that are the paving stones to hell.

It is only “biases” if you tolerate no criticism of one side and want all blame dumped on the other.
Incredible amount of factual detail to pinpoint trends - suburbanization, deindustrialization, demography, and the economic, cultural and ethical values difficult to discern in Real Time and rarely analyzed in their interplay.

Very well concludes with an overview of how the tumultuous first decade of this century was the inevitable and unavoidable result of the previous five decades.

Good presentation of what is ultimately a sad story of misjudgments and missed opportunities as consecutive presidents overestimated their influence and underestimated the strength of their opposition. The greatness of our country’s achievements is well documented as its adverse impacts on people and the environment increasingly difficult to… but apparently still not impossible … to ignore.

A good synopsis for anyone having trouble keeping g abreast of our fast-changing world.

Great history of our imperial reach

This book chronicles our history during different era's and reviews all the means the government has employed to involve us in wars of aggression, to benefit vested interests, and facilitate our imperialist ambitions. Well told and well written.

Well narrated and interestingly written

Very interesting to listen to. I learned a lot about the country and about human nature.

zdisjointed approach

Would you try another book from Joshua Freeman and/or Don Hagen?

no

What do you think your next listen will be?

don.t know

What aspect of Don Hagen’s performance would you have changed?

nothing

What character would you cut from American Empire?

na

Any additional comments?

This book, a history of the U>S> from 1945-2000 is disjointed, difficult to follow