This ambitious volume, the latest in the scholarly Oxford History of the United States, describes a nation in pursuit of its 'Manifest Destiny'. By doubling the country's size, legendary presidents such as Madison, Monroe and Jackson set the tone for American imperialism that other compatriots were to follow. One cannot but admire their resourcefulness but also baulk perhaps at their hypocrisy. This should be essential reading for a better understanding of the modern American psyche.
(Jeremy Miller - bwl 54 November 2009 ) |
