A review by zackbs
Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood by Colin Woodard

3.0

Really interesting overview of how Americans conceive of America, from early 19th to early 20th centuries. While the overall survey is a bit disjointed (some of the through-lines become a bit murky), overall it tells a vivid and engaging picture of American self-identification. It really hammers home just how thoroughly the Confederacy took over the country after the end of the Civil War, and what an enormous piece of trash Woodrow Wilson was. I came into this book knowing a little about Wilson (including his overt white supremacy) but I was honestly shocked at the disgusting depths of his racism, and just how well he embodied the triumph of the South over American institutions. Seriously, more people need to be talking about how much Wilson sucks.

All in all, a really interesting history about an overlooked time in America. Telling it through the lens of self-identity and community construction makes it very relevant to 2020.