Reviews

Making America: A History of the United States, Volume II: Since 1865 by Robert Cherny, Carol Berkin, Christopher Miller

mattperry25's review against another edition

5.0

This is one of the most well-written, interesting, and balanced American History textbooks I’ve read or used in my classes. I especially appreciated the notes from the author of each chapter providing a framework for the chapter and occasionally a personal note about the significance of the events discussed. Each chapter also featured a person whose experiences informed the themes of that era in our history. Though politics maintain a prominent place in this text (as in most U.S. History textbooks), it is more thoroughly balanced with economic, cultural, and social history, as well as foreign policy. It could have used a bit more discussion of art and literature in my opinion, but I was able to supply that information. Overall, I appreciated the constant tone of restrained reverence for the courageous people who have led this country, as well as its honest grappling with the country’s ongoing insidious moral failures. I truly enjoyed this 855-page summary of our path to the 21st century.