The Americans: The National Experience

This work is absolutely dazzling, totally unlike any other history you will ever read. It is NOT a boring (or exciting) recount of wars, laws, political battles and big events - it is what future historians will say when they analyze the origin and growth of the United States. Over and over, Boorstin contrasts the Old World (European) with the New, noting the huge differences in purpose and direction and even meaning. Several themes emerge: First and perhaps foremost, despite the fact that we are a nation of laws we made up a lot of it as we went along. The saving grace - and a point made endlessly - is that ours was never an ideological struggle and to this day Americans, unlike Europeans, are wary of ideology. Not only did we reject the idea of a radical transformation of society, we fought to preserve the status quo, i.e. the ability of the states to rule themselves. Our political parties were non-ideological. We embraced common law - a point that bears repeating over and over. Laws were interpreted for each new situation (based on some basic principles) rather than codified in mind-numbing detail in an attempt to made a final and definitive ruling on every possible case. Much of the book dealt with the expansion of the country. He points out that the very vagueness of national purpose was an instrument in the great march Westward. Expansion of the nation beyond its original boundaries was not a given by any means and was actively opposed by many of the great minds. But once it started, we established a pattern that was used to introduce state after state. It is noteworthy that our form of government is replicated on the federal, state and city levels. Paradoxically, the power of the states is an asset not a hindrance to national unity. The book is filled with little-known biographies of people who were instrumental in the nation's progress. My grade - A+

This book, along with its companions in the trilogy, isn't a history of events and people and places. It's not even a history of ideas. Rather, it's a history of themes and modes of living. And it's a fascinating read. Boorstin loves to find those elements in our nation's development that help explain why we are the way we are. Things like "get there first." Behaviors like "do it first and fix it later." He shows that these are both weaknesses and marvelous strengths. I would recommend his books (including his other trilogy on discovery and creation) to anyone with an interest in history. I would especially recommend this specific volume, all by itself, to anyone who wants an idea of what makes us tick.

Both this book and its counterpart, The Democratic Experience, offer an anecdotal and entertaining approach to American history. In The National Experience, Boorstin focuses on the development of a national character and national customs. Rather than trying to force history to fit into a deterministic and logical mold, Boorstin shows just how the disconnectedness of American history has contributed to American development. I find Boorstin's works very readable, and the style enjoyable. My only concern is that sometimes it seems that some complexities are ignored in favor of developing an overall theme. However, this remains one of very few histories I pick up for fun to read a few chapters.

This really is a great book. From the American Industrial revolution to the western expansion, this book opened my eyes to many factors in the building of our nation. In lectures, I often quote Boorstin and his observations. I also found it amusing when he exploded some common myths concerning our history. You really should read this book.

In this book Daniel Boorstin puts some distinctly American attitudes into historical perspective as he shows how "Boosterism" -- the tendency to promote your town, region, etc. became a major force in the development of businesses, government and the press during the early 19th century. This theme runs throughout the book, and he deftly uses it to connect a number of otherwise disconnected threads into the rich tapestry of American life. He is equally at ease explaining why every American town, regardless of size, thinks itself a "city" and where our unique federal system of government has its foundation.