American Nations
A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America
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4.3 • 197 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
• A New Republic Best Book of the Year • The Globalist Top Books of the Year • Winner of the Maine Literary Award for Non-fiction
Particularly relevant in understanding who voted for who during presidential elections, this is an endlessly fascinating look at American regionalism and the eleven “nations” that continue to shape North America
According to award-winning journalist and historian Colin Woodard, North America is made up of eleven distinct nations, each with its own unique historical roots. In American Nations he takes readers on a journey through the history of our fractured continent, offering a revolutionary and revelatory take on American identity, and how the conflicts between them have shaped our past and continue to mold our future. From the Deep South to the Far West, to Yankeedom to El Norte, Woodard (author of American Character: A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good) reveals how each region continues to uphold its distinguishing ideals and identities today, with results that can be seen in the composition of the U.S. Congress or on the county-by-county election maps of any hotly contested election in our history.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Historian and journalist Woodward's new take on American history identifies the original cultural settlements that became the United States, and proceeds with the thesis that these regional and cultural divisions are responsible for clashes stretching back to Revolutionary times. The 11 nations don't follow state or even country territory lines, but rather the paths taken by the earliest settlers of these areas; while later immigrants added to the mix, they didn't change the fundamental culture. Woodward (The Republic of Pirates) uses this hypothesis to explain the Civil War, regional differences in education philosophies and voting patterns, even the disparate mentalities of northern and southern Californians. Concern for the future closes the book, citing "classic symptoms of an empire in decline": U.S. economic difficulties, "extreme political dysfunction," a politically divided population, and ongoing wars. Despite that pessimistic note, the book's compelling explanations and apt descriptions will fascinate anyone with an interest in politics, regional culture, or history.
Customer Reviews
American Nations
This book is now a timeless classic!
American Nations
I great big brushstrokes picture of American Geo-Ethnic History. Basically, the premise of the book is that various regions of the USA have their own cultural legacy (see Malcolm Gladwell "Outliers"), which determine their politics and social order more so any any particular ethnic group. Essentially, the USA is more of a confederation of competing political and social orders in different regions, and not a monolithic country.
The author reasonably explains a variety of historical conflicts through this lens. The explanations are satisfying, and continue to the present day. His explanation of the political coalitions which have dominated at different times is very plausible. IT bears relevance to the current times, and explain why the Republican PArty, despite being essentially a Deep Southern party, which virtually no Latin American or African-American members, has a dominance all out of proportion to their numbers, and indeed even the popularity of their agenda.
Huge Disappointment
This book was not good for me personally, but I can see the draw to others. I find history interesting, but not much in this book speaks to my specific interests. The text is super dense and just seems like the reader gets pelted with facts. I found it arduous to read and found myself wishing that the book would end. I ended up reading less than 1/3 of the book even though I had a test on it.