America, 1908: The Dawn of Flight, the Race to the Pole, the Invention of the Model T, and the Making of a Modern Nation

This book is beautifully written and, for someone interested in history but not a specialist, provided a perfect introduction into a fascinating year. I highly recommend it!

As someone who knows a lot about this period in history-- early 20th century America-- I was blown away by this book. Rasenberger manages to blend together a number of critical threads from the era-- the incredible inventiveness of Americans, the great sense of possibility-- and makes it a completely edge-of-your-seat tale. His research is impeccable. The book covers a great deal of territory, from the Wright Brothers to the twisted triangle of Harry Thaw, Evelynn Nesbit & Standford White-- but always feels like its on rails. A great, fun read.

After reading the book I have the impression that 1908 was not a random year, but in many ways an introductory year to the 20th century! The writer describes vividly the many challenging events of the year and puts them in a frame of reference that makes you see in clearer perspective what you already know about the USA (and the rest of the world) after 1908.

America, 1908 weaves several stories about this year together to create both an incredibly interesting and well-researched piece of history as well as a terrific narrative. The book is beautifully written. Rasenberger has a real story-teller's voice. While the book chronicles America during a single year, it is a story that is emblematic of a period. What it offers is a look at our country and history 100 years ago. If you are looking for a holiday gift for someone, take a look. Highly recommended.

As he did with High Steel, Mr Rasenberger weaves history, personal stories and factual details seamlessly together to make an engaging narrative. With America 1908 he explores a cross section of seismic events that conspired to form our modern society.He has also included images from this time period that further illuminate the text.As he makes clear, Americans in 1908 thought a great deal about their future and all the possibilities of the world they would shape over the next hundred years.Masterfully researched and written, this book examines the America that was, and may help cast light on the America that has yet to unfold.