Looking for Suggestions For a Good Book on US History

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Good evening M'Lords & M'Ladies,
I would like to read on the general history of your country. I was wondering if any of you has read a recently, if possible, published good account about it?
Thanks!
 
I haven't read it, but based on the job he did with his Modern Times, with which I am familiar, I would recommend Paul Johnson.

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Richard Burley":jhiehu4o said:
I haven't read it, but based on the job he did with his Modern Times, with which I am familiar, I would recommend Paul Johnson.

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Yes, that will do it!
@arkansaspiper: just the general history, to start with. :D
 
Check out Howard Zinn A People's History of the United States
Publisher's description:
Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People’s History of the United States is the only volume to tell America’s story from the point of view of—and in the words of—America’s women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers. As historian Howard Zinn shows, many of our country’s greatest battles—fights for fair wages, eight-hour workdays, child-labor laws, health and safety standards, universal suffrage, women’s rights, racial equality—were carried out at the grassroots level, against bloody resistance.

Covering Christopher Columbus’s arrival through President Clinton’s first term, A People’s History of the United States, which was nominated for the American Book Award in 1981, features insightful analysis of the most important events in our history.

 
I've read then both. Either are very good but I would reread 'A People's History.'
 
I didn't know anything about his political ties, just thought the book was a good read. It's been awhile though... maybe if I re-read it now I would pick out some clear political slant that was over my head back then.
 
Quite possible.  I seriously considered attaching a quasi-warning that I was judging the book with acknowledged bias...but really, show me a history book that's unbiased and I can probably guess what political ideology you hold. A narrative is what we get when we read someone's else's story, there's actually no way around it.

I like to read of Spec Forces, air assault, and all that fringe stuff we experimented with in Vietnam/Korea/Iraq/etc. Even that has a narrative, if you are a Deplorable you read about honorable men making things work in a part of the planet where the planet tries its hardest to kill you, before other humans even start counting.  If you are a SJW snowflake you probably think men and women that served are murderous barbarians and honestly just a little scary..why is it we allow these ptsd psychos access to guns, cars, kids, and alcohol?

Take the narrative out and you have boring statistic & chart books with lots of pictures, they are usually printed on 14x22 paper, or some other insane spec, and are designed mostly for looks but also sometimes someone thumbs through it and sees that America really has some badass hardware.
 
there's an updated edition for Zinn's book. And I can't seem to find Johnson's book at Chapters. Which means I would have to look at Barnes & Nobles & pay for shipping and the exchange rate, so...A People's History it is.

Thanks you for your suggestion, Lord Cordray.
 
Try A Patriots History of the United States from Larry schweikart. That will present a counter point to Zinn. I have used it before in the classroom for that reason, I also enjoy the way it is designed.

 
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