North American History

[Antiochus of Seleucia]

I'm going to be a junior in high school this year and taking AP U.S. History. I think I'm in for a back-buster...

[WotWotius]

I have juist finished an A-level in American history (1877-1993), and I found that the most interesting book I read for the subject was:

 

The Unfinished Journey, William H Chafe

[M. Porcius Cato]

In addition to Patriots, mentioned by PP, I'm a huge fan of John Adams and the Spirit of Liberty. This is an important book: it offers a very tight synthesis of Adams' political thought and Adams' political activities. As much as I adore Jefferson, Washington, and Franklin, there is no more important revolutionary figure in American history than Adams, and after you read "John Adams and the Spirit of Liberty," you'll see why.

 

I'm not an avid reader on the American Civil War, but on the principle that "ideas move man; man moves the world", I'd recommend Anti-Slavery Political Writings and the stirring autobiographies of Frederick Douglass. The institution of slavery may not have been the only cause of the civil war, but it was a cause of the war and it was the moral cause of the war.

[Pertinax]

In addition to Patriots, mentioned by PP, I'm a huge fan of John Adams and the Spirit of Liberty. This is an important book: it offers a very tight synthesis of Adams' political thought and Adams' political activities. As much as I adore Jefferson, Washington, and Franklin, there is no more important revolutionary figure in American history than Adams, and after you read "John Adams and the Spirit of Liberty," you'll see why.

 

I'm not an avid reader on the American Civil War, but on the principle that "ideas move man; man moves the world", I'd recommend Anti-Slavery Political Writings and the stirring autobiographies of Frederick Douglass. The institution of slavery may not have been the only cause of the civil war, but it was a cause of the war and it was the moral cause of the war.

 

Thank you again, im noting all these down for future reference, even if I dont appear to be acting upon them now be assured that I will be giving serious consideration to these titles.

 

May I ask does any author deal particularly ( and with clarity) with the "secession versus slavery themes " as the causus belli?

[WotWotius]

Rough Crossings, Simon Schama

 

This may not be exactly what your looking for, but I recently received this book as a birthday present, and from what little I have read of it (I've only had time to read the preface), it seems like it has some potential.

 

Even though I absolutely detest Simon Schama's onscreen presence, I have read his History of Britain, and I hate to say it but he is a worthy popular historian who delivers interesting, though not too taxing, points on Britain's past.

Edited September 3, 2006 by WotWotius

[Krackalackin]

Gangs of New York is a good Read. The movie is superb as well. It's about the first real wave of immigration to the USA. Yep, the descendants of Adams, Franklin, Washington, Jefferson etc, didn't like 'em.