American Greats

Robert Wilson and Stanley Marcus have created a highly informative as well as a thoroughly entertaining book in which they briefly discuss 81 different examples of "great" contributions to the development of American culture. Here are the first five: Tom Paine's "Common Sense" which helped to establish and then nourish a patriotic fervor without which the War for Independence probably could not have been won.; Charles Kettering's invention of the automobile self-starter which eliminated the need for a hand crank which had broken many arms; barbed wire ("the devil's hatband") which protected property as well as livestock and thus helped to tame the frontier; Alexander Joy Cartwright's design of the baseball diamond (in 1846) for a variation of the English game of "rounders," a design which established the same infield configuration wherever the game is played; and Harry S Truman's commitment to the Berlin Airlift during the Cold War ("We stay in Berlin, period."). Other subjects include the Coca-Cola formula, Coney Island, the Duke Ellington orchestra, the G.I. Bill of Rights, N.C. Wyeth's illustrations for Stevenson's Treasure Island, the New Yorker magazine, the Pony Express, tabasco sauce, the Underground Railway, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. All of the illustrations are superb. Several of the brief commentaries were written by various contributors such as Allen Barra (Black Baseball), David McCullough (The Brooklyn Bridge), Kevin Baker (FDR's Fireside Chats), and David Douglas Duncan (LIFE Magazine). This volume's size and appearance may suggest that it is just another "coffee table book." In fact, what editors Wilson, Marcus, and various contributors share attracts and rewards the attention of those, especially young people, who have little (if any) understanding of why each of the 81 subjects is so important to the society in which they now live. Ours continues to be an abundant and diverse culture. Hopefully it will continue to produce other American "greats" to join those which Wilson, Marcus, and their distinguished associates so brilliantly celebrate.

There is just too much from the Nation which we take for granted, and this book reminds up of just a tiny percentage of some of the innovations which helped shape our society.Sure, when we see the Brooklyn Bridge, we marvel at its timeless beauty. We probably don't give barbed wire a second thought, though. Those old enough to recall FDR tell of the inspiration of his Fireside Chats, and the rest of us can compare (through this work) them to the Gettysburg Address. But this work takes us so much farther. The courage of Mohawk Steel Workers walking across the sky, the Tuskeegee Airmen bringing back every bomber they escorted and the inscrutable creativity of Navajo Code Talkers are all admirably chronicled.Everyone, from fans of the Vette to those who prefer the Smithsonian; afficionadoes of Duke Ellington vs. Sun Records (or both) will find something here to contemplate and treasure.

This is an extraordinary compilation of the innovations, idiosyncracies, and icons of which this country should be proud. The editors exhibited incredible creativity and sense of adventure in choosing the "Great" items. I can't think of any book that comes close to giving Americans and others a terrific and positive view of this country's uniqueness.

This beautiful book occupies a place of prominence in my living room. The collected essays cover a wide variety of interesting topics that represent all aspects of American life and history. The photography is exceptional. I'm looking forward to "American Greats" part II.

American Greats is absolutely fanastic. The reader learns about historical figures in American history in a really fun way. This book is a must for every elementary, middle and high school.