Reviews
In American Nations , [Colin Woodard] persuasively reshapes our understanding of how the American political entity came to be....[A] fascinating new take on history., [F]or people interested in American history and sociology, American Nations demands reading.... American Nations is important reading., "Fascinating . . . Engrossing . . . a smart read that feels particularly timely now, when so many would claim a mythically unified 'founding Fathers' as their political ancestors." --The Boston Globe "[I]n offering us a way to better understand the forces at play in the rumpus room of current American politics, Colin Woodard has scored a true triumph." --The Daily Beast "[C]ompelling and informative." --The Washington Post "Mr. Woodard's approach is breezier than [David Hackett] Fischer's and more historical than [Joel] Garreau's, but he has earned a place on the shelf between them." --The Wall Street Journal "[ American Nations ] sets itself apart by delving deep into history to trace our current divides to ethno-cultural differences that emerged during the country's earliest settlement." --The New Republic , Editors' Picks: Best Books of 2011 "Provocative reading." --News and Observer "In American Nations , [Colin Woodard] persuasively reshapes our understanding of how the American political entity came to be. . . . [A] fascinating new take on history." --The Christian Science Monitor " American Nations by journalist-historian Colin Woodard is a superb book. Woodard makes a compelling argument that the United Sates was founded by contradictory regional convictions that continue to influence current attitudes and policy on a national level. . . . American Nations smashes the idea of political borders. . . . There is much to grapple with in this well-written book." --The Portland Press Herald "[F]or people interested in American history and sociology, American Nations demands reading. . . . American Nations is important reading." --St. Louis Dispatch "[I]f you want to better understand U.S. politics, history, and culture American Nations is to be required reading. . . . By revealing this continent of rivals, American Nations will revolutionize the way Americans think about their past, their country, and themselves and is sure to spark controversy." --The Herald Gazette "Woodard persuasively argues that since the founding of the United States, eleven distinct geographical 'nations' have formed within the Union, each with its own identity and set of values." --Military History Quarterly "Colin Woodard offers up an illuminating history of North America that explodes the red state-blue state myth. . . . Woodard's American Nations is a revolutionary and revelatory take on America's myriad identities, and how the conflicts between them have shaped our country's past and mold its future." --MaineBusiness.com "One of the most original books I read in the last year. . . . During my five years as an Ambassador in the United States, I spent a lot of time studying the voting patterns of different states and reading American history, and I have to say I find Woodard's thesis to be fully borne out by my own observations." --John Bruton, former Prime Minister of Ireland "Woodard offers a fascinating way to parse American (writ large) politics and history in this excellent book." --Kirkus (starred review) "Provocative." --Publishers Weekly "[W]ell-researched analysis with appeal to both casual and scholarly readers." --Library Journal, Colin Woodard debunks the simplistic notion of Left Coast, red state, blues state and other broad-brush efforts to peg America's differences…. American Nations pulls off the unlikely feat of both offering the tools for just such a broader, deeper understanding-and demonstrates why, in a larger sense, that effort is doomed….The key to the book's effectiveness is Woodard's skill-and irreverence-in delving into history with no qualms about being both brisk and contrarian….[I]n offering us a way to better understand the forces at play in the rumpus room of current American politics, Colin Woodard has scored a true triumph. I am going to order copies for my father and sister immediately-and I hope Woodard gets a wide hearing for his fascinating study., Woodard offers a fascinating way to parse American (writ large) politics and history in this excellent book., [F]or people interested in American history and sociology, American Nations demands reading.… American Nations is important reading., Colin Woodard debunks the simplistic notion of Left Coast, red state, blues state and other broad-brush efforts to peg America's differences.... American Nations pulls off the unlikely feat of both offering the tools for just such a broader, deeper understanding--and demonstrates why, in a larger sense, that effort is doomed....The key to the book's effectiveness is Woodard's skill--and irreverence--in delving into history with no qualms about being both brisk and contrarian....[I]n offering us a way to better understand the forces at play in the rumpus room of current American politics, Colin Woodard has scored a true triumph. I am going to order copies for my father and sister immediately--and I hope Woodard gets a wide hearing for his fascinating study., "Fascinating….Engrossing….In the end...[ American Nations ] is a smart read that feels particularly timely now, when so many would claim a mythically unified "founding Fathers" as their political ancestors.", Colin Woodard offers up an illuminating history of North America that explodes the red state-blue state myth.…Woodard's American Nations is a revolutionary and revelatory take on America's myriad identities, and how the conflicts between them have shaped our country's past and mold its future., Winner of the 2012 Maine Literary Award for Non-fiction "Mr. Woodard's approach is breezier than Mr. Fischer's and more historical than Mr. Garreau's, but he has earned a place on the shelf between them." -- The Wall Street Journal "[C]ompelling and informative." -- The Washington Post "[A] fascinating new ethnographic history of North America." -- Alec MacGillis, The New Republic "Provocative reading." -- News and Observer "[ American Nations ] sets itself apart by delving deep into history to trace our current divides to ethno-cultural differences that emerged during the country's earliest settlement." -- The New Republic , Editors' Picks: Best Books of 2011 "Fascinating...Engrossing...In the end...[ American Nations ] is a smart read that feels particularly timely now, when so many would claim a mythically unified 'founding Fathers' as their political ancestors." -- The Boston Globe "In American Nations , [Colin Woodard] persuasively reshapes our understanding of how the American political entity came to be....[A] fascinating new take on history." -- The Christian Science Monitor "Woodard offers a fascinating way to parse American (writ large) politics and history in this excellent book." -- Kirkus (starred review) "Colin Woodard debunks the simplistic notion of Left Coast, red state, blues state and other broad-brush efforts to peg America's differences.... American Nations pulls off the unlikely feat of both offering the tools for just such a broader, deeper understanding--and demonstrates why, in a larger sense, that effort is doomed....The key to the book's effectiveness is Woodard's skill--and irreverence--in delving into history with no qualms about being both brisk and contrarian....[I]n offering us a way to better understand the forces at play in the rumpus room of current American politics, Colin Woodard has scored a true triumph. I am going to order copies for my father and sister immediately--and I hope Woodard gets a wide hearing for his fascinating study." -- The Daily Beast "Provocative." -- Publishers Weekly "[W]ell-researched analysis with appeal to both casual and scholarly readers." -- Library Journal "Colin Woodard offers up an illuminating history of North America that explodes the red state-blue state myth....Woodard's American Nations is a revolutionary and revelatory take on America's myriad identities, and how the conflicts between them have shaped our country's past and mold its future." -- MaineBusiness.com "[F]or people interested in American history and sociology, American Nations demands reading.... American Nations is important reading." -- St. Louis Dispatch "[I]f you want to better understand U.S. politics, history, and culture American Nations is to be required reading....By revealing this continent of rivals, American Nations will revolutionize the way Americans think about their past, their country, and themselves and is sure to spark controversy." -- The Herald Gazette " American Nations by journalist-historian Colin Woodard is a superb book. Woodard makes a compelling argument that the United Sates was founded by contradictory regional convictions that continue to influence current attitudes and policy on a national level.... American Nations smashes the idea of political borders....There is much to grapple with in this well-written book." -- The Portland Press Herald, American Nations by journalist-historian Colin Woodard is a superb book. Woodard makes a compelling argument that the United Sates was founded by contradictory regional convictions that continue to influence current attitudes and policy on a national level.... American Nations smashes the idea of political borders....There is much to grapple with in this well-written book., [F]or people interested in American history and sociology, American Nations demands reading…. American Nations is important reading., [I]f you want to better understand U.S. politics, history, and culture American Nations is to be required reading.…By revealing this continent of rivals, American Nations will revolutionize the way Americans think about their past, their country, and themselves and is sure to spark controversy., American Nations by journalist-historian Colin Woodard is a superb book. Woodard makes a compelling argument that the United Sates was founded by contradictory regional convictions that continue to influence current attitudes and policy on a national level.… American Nations smashes the idea of political borders.…There is much to grapple with in this well-written book., Winner of the 2012 Maine Literary Award for Non-fiction "Mr. Woodard's approach is breezier than Mr. Fischer's and more historical than Mr. Garreau's, but he has earned a place on the shelf between them.", Colin Woodard offers up an illuminating history of North America that explodes the red state-blue state myth....Woodard's American Nations is a revolutionary and revelatory take on America's myriad identities, and how the conflicts between them have shaped our country's past and mold its future., Colin Woodard offers up and illuminating history of North America that explodes the red state-blue state myth….Woodard's American Nations is a revolutionary and revelatory take on America's myriad identities, and how the conflicts between them have shaped our country's past and mold its future., [ American Nations ] sets itself apart by delving deep into history to trace our current divides to enthno-cultural differences that emerged during the country's earliest settlement., In American Nations , [Colin Woodard] persuasively reshapes our understanding of how the American political entity came to be….[A] fascinating new take on history., Fascinating…Engrossing…In the end…[ American Nations ] is a smart read that feels particularly timely now, when so many would claim a mythically unified 'founding Fathers' as their political ancestors., American Nations by journalist-historian Colin Woodard is a superb book. Woodard makes a compelling argument that the United Sates was founded by contradictory regional convictions that continue to influence current attitudes and policy on a national level…. American Nations smashes the idea of political borders....There is much to grapple with in this well-written book., Fascinating...Engrossing...In the end...[ American Nations ] is a smart read that feels particularly timely now, when so many would claim a mythically unified 'founding Fathers' as their political ancestors., [I]f you want to better understand U.S. politics, history, and culture American Nations is to be required reading….By revealing this continent of rivals, American Nations will revolutionize the way Americans think about their past, their country, and themselves and is sure to spark controversy…, [I]f you want to better understand U.S. politics, history, and culture American Nations is to be required reading....By revealing this continent of rivals, American Nations will revolutionize the way Americans think about their past, their country, and themselves and is sure to spark controversy., [ American Nations ] sets itself apart by delving deep into history to trace our current divides to ethno-cultural differences that emerged during the country's earliest settlement.
