1898: The Birth of the American Century

David Traxel's "1898" examines the year that the author felt that America really began to make its presence felt on the world stage. As you might expect, much of the book recounts the Spanish-American War. The author's account of the war and its effects is a good one, detailing the experience of the soldiers who fought the war in addition to the experience of the military officers and politicians who led the war effort. Traxel also looks at the ways in which American society was rapidly changing just prior to the turn of the twentieth century. Inventions such as automobiles and motion pictures are mentioned. Issues such as race relations, political machines, and labor issues were salient at the time, and are discussed. America was becoming a mass society, as evidenced by the fact that manufacturers were using more sophisticated advertising techniques to sell their products to a continental nation. Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, and William McKinley are only a few of the colorful characters examined in this absorbing look at the year 1898.

David Traxel has taken the year 1898 as, to quote the subtitle, the birth of the American century. He has many good and valuable reasons for doing so as is made obvious as the book, and the year, unfold before the reader. It is all here from the growing imperialism of the United States as it becomes involved in Cuba and the Philippine, as well as labour disputes, the growth of businesses such as Uneeda Biscuit and the Ford Motor Company, in addition to many more assorted characters and stories running throughout this history. Ms. Tuchman in the Proud Tower effectively covered some of the same issues, particulary the U.S. involvement with Cuba, in a very efficient fashion that laid events out a little more plainly. David Traxel does, on occasion, feel the need to soften or defend American actions. The book is still entertaining, though, and hopefully would lead a reader to learn more about the interesting events and people presented here.

I had to read this book because of a school assignment, but if I didn't have to, then it would have been an even greater book. The insights he shares with his readers are well put, & the anecdotal form makes the book move fast, which keeps the book interesting.

Every once in awhile, one runs across a book that fits the catagory of a must read. This is one for that list. Should be required reading for all students and non-students. It certainly did fill in gaps in American History that I did not know existed.

Much has been written on the Spanish American War and TR, some in very thick books. For the busy reader who wants to know about those two subjects and more, this is a good introduction. It covers most of the major events plus interesting observations about the times.