The Shortest History of the United States of America

A magnificent new history of the USA from independence to Trump 2.0

'Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...' In the 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson's unalienable rights have often been thwarted by slavery, war and economic crisis. Yet if today the USA does not always seem to be the shining city on a hill dreamed of by so many, it is unquestionably the world's most powerful nation – a source both of fear and wonder, inspiration and mockery.


With elegance and wit, Don Watson dissects the ignominies and triumphs of American history. He traces the course of liberty and justice alongside violence and oppression, showing how a country at war with itself in the 1860s became the leader of the free world less than a century later – and the unquiet, riven nation of today.


This is the concise, indispensable story of a country whose past has never been more alive.