To America: Personal Reflections of an Historian

by Stephen E. Ambrose

In To America, Stephen E. Ambrose, one of the country's most influential historians, reflects on his long career as an American historian and explains what an historian's job is all about. He celebrates America's spirit, which has carried us so far. He confronts its failures and struggles. As always in his much acclaimed work, Ambrose brings alive the men and women, famous and not, who have peopled our history and made the United States a model for the world. Taking a few swings at today's political correctness, as well as his own early biases, Ambrose grapples with the country's historic sins of racism, its neglect and ill treatment of Native Americans, and its tragic errors (such as the war in Vietnam, which he ardently opposed on campus, where he was a professor). He reflects on some of the country's early founders who were progressive thinkers while living a contradiction as slaveholders, great men such as Washington and Jefferson. He contemplates the genius of Andrew Jackson's defeat of a vastly superior British force with a ragtag army in the War of 1812. He describes the grueling journey that Lewis and Clark made to open up the country, and the building of the railroad that joined it and produced great riches for a few barons. Ambrose explains the misunderstood presidency of Ulysses S. Grant, records the country's assumption of world power under the leadership of Theodore Roosevelt, and extols its heroic victory of World War II. He writes about women's rights and civil rights and immigration, founding museums, and nation- building. He contrasts the presidencies of Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Lyndon B. Johnson. Throughout, Ambrose celebrates the unflappable American spirit. Most important, Ambrose writes about writing history. "The last five letters of the word 'history' tell us that it is an account of the past that is about people and what they did, which is what makes it the most fascinating of subjects." To America is an instant classic for all those interested in history, patriotism, and the love of writing.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Biography, Memoir, Essays, Politics

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Stephen Edward Ambrose was an American historian and biographer of U.S. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Richard M. Nixon. He received his Ph.D. in 1960 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In his final years he faced charges of plagiarism for his books, with subsequent concerns about his research emerging after his death.

Reviews

[David Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently had the pleasure of visiting my good friend, and Goodreads friend, Graeme Roberts, who was kind enough to give me a copy of this book, along with his personal inscription, as a remembrance. I don't know how it came about that I had never read any of Stephen Ambrose's work, but I very much enjoyed reading this one. It was the last book he published before his death in 2002.

"To America" is a wonderful blend of Ambrose's personal recollections about his career: how he became an historian (from originally being a pre-med major), his various teaching posts at different universities, and the family trips he took all over the world to visit historical sites and do research in preparation to write. Another important facet of this book are many historical vignettes from different eras of American history. To name just a few, the battle of New Orleans, the transcontinental railroad, Ulysses Grant, World War II, Vietnam, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower.

One of the many takeaways from this book is a reminder of just how deeply involved and time-consuming research can be as a part of the writing craft. My thanks again to Graeme for connecting me with this fine read!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was published in 2002 shortly before Ambrose died. It is an excellent treatise on many of the forty historical book subjects that he covered in his career. Ambrose is what might be called a ‘popular’ historian. And his passion - judging by the number of books - would be military campaigns. D-Day and Band of Brothers are amongst the best of them. These books also led to his museum creation and fundraising for D-Day and many friendships with veterans of all stripes. If you have seen any of his interviews in various documentaries, the seriousness and passion with which he speaks is quite engaging.

Interestingly enough I’m more drawn to his other works - those that involve the American landscape. His book on Lewis and Clark called ‘Undaunted Courage’ and his book ‘Crazy Horse and Custer’ are amongst my favorites by any author. These books ooze with images of landscapes and wildness - just beautiful and romantic in an American West way.

Ambrose is a bit old school especially regarding his patriotic fervor in defending Eisenhower. As a young author he became Eisenhower’s biographer and got to know him very well. But despite his subjectivity, Ambrose’s heart is in the right place and his sins - if any exist - would be ones of opinion. His books do not avoid unseemly subjects.

I do not agree with Ambrose when he says that Nixon was actually one of America’s better presidents - as measured by political accomplishments. Ambrose probably had a clearer eyed view than myself because he clearly did not like the guy, called him a liar repeatedly. Nixon clearly did not like Ambrose calling him “one of those leftist historians”. I haven’t read Ambrose’s biographical trilogy on Nixon only because I have read another biography on Nixon and that is enough for me. I am sure it would be good.

Ambrose provides some excellent assessments of the presidencies of Jefferson, Grant and TR. He contends that Jefferson was a great intellect but not a great leader. Grant was one of the great presidents and this was not a popular opinion forty years ago. He was one of the only historians who publicly said so way back then. Ambrose noted that TR’s greatest gifts to America were the conservation movement that he started and that TR foresaw with great clarity America’s need to be a global power.

In two short chapters at the end of the book, Ambrose tries to address the racism and misogyny that he witnessed and that were especially prevalent in his times. He spoke of his mother who could have run and won a position in the Wisconsin legislature but his father - a Navy doctor - was against it.

4.5 stars.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My father gave me this book last summer before my husband and I embarked upon a long cross-country road trip. I did actually begin the book in the car along the way, but didn't finish it until this past week. I have a mixed opinion about the book, complicated even farther by my English teacher reaction to some articles I've since read about Ambrose's writing and alleged plagiarism in some of his books (articles I plan to use in class for those serious discussions with my students about what it actually means to plagiarize).

So...let me try to sort it out. I liked the book, initially. I liked the idea of a long and storied historian writing his reflections of a life spent studying the history of his country. I liked that the book was divided into chapters dealing with some of the most controversial issues in our nation's history, and that Ambrose seemed to (like me) find the hidden areas of gray in the diabolically opposing sides to the arguments. I liked that he recognized, as we do in the film CRASH, the novel OF MICE AND MEN, and the philosophical discussions of Socrates's dissidents in PLATO'S REPUBLIC that in this human condition we are all both victim and predator. That no one is immune from bad decisions or incapable of good ones.

But...I felt that the book veered away from that organization, becoming a self-indulgent litany of Ambrose's own life and writing. And I didn't like the final chapters where he tried to incorporate his own life into the history he writes. I don't think it was successful. I don't think it worked. So...as I ended the book I found myself tired and frustrated, and ready to put it down. In final retrospect, I have to wonder if Ambrose himself (with the accusation and controversy surrounding his writing) wasn't simply a human reflection of the history he analyzed--not altogether evil, not altogether good. Just human, poor, weak, and capable of miraculous things.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book! A personal reflection on American history from a leading US Historian. Goes into showing the American spirit and what made this country great. Lewis and Clarke's expedition, manifest destiny, and the war of 1812 are just some points. Stephen Ambrose seamlessly blends historical fact with his view on how these events forged who we are today as a country, a society, and a free people! Truly a book every American should read!

[Ralph · Rating 5 out of 5]

For fans of the late historian (Ambrose died in 2002) this book is something of a treat as it tells how he became an historian (he was a pre-med student initially), how he got into the writing game, and the stories behind all the books he had written. Throughout the book there is always a theme of transition and progression, not just in the sense of America as a nation, but in Ambrose as a scholar, writer, man and citizen; as he studies the history of the nation and its peoples, he progresses from what everyone knows about history, to what he was taught about history, to what he learned about history. For example, everyone knows how the west was won, and he was taught by his professors how America stole from the Indians and tried to exterminate them, but he learned that the Americans of the time did nothing more or worse than what the Indians did themselves, though he does find much to criticize about the way in which America was unable to rise above the passions of their age and live up to the ideals we embodied in our own founding documents, a dichotomy which continues to this day.

Throughout the book he portrays himself as liberal (though he was stung by Nixon's criticism that he was "just another liberal") and left-leaning, but he more bases that on his pacifistic stance during the Vietnam War, and yet as I read of his optimism and patriotism, I thought he perhaps might not be as liberal as he thought. Being adverse to war does not make a person liberal, just sensible, and many of the many of the most ardent opponents to war (as opposed to being "anti-war") have been military men, for they are the only ones who truly know, as Sherman pointed out, that war is hell. Though a self-defined "dove," he nevertheless consistently praises the abilities and morality of the American fighting man, even during the War in the Pacific, in which America's racism matched that of their Japanese opponents; the extreme enmity in that theater, however, was set aside (at least by the Americans; Japan has yet to admit, much less come to terms with its own aggression and racism) when MacArthur ruled Japan and set the stage for the emergence of a free and democratic Japan. MacArthur's enlightened rule of Japan echoes the command Eisenhower (Ambrose's favorite subjuct and his pick for American of the Century) held in Germany, with him instructing the German press corps that they were to be agents of the truth, not stooges of the government, that they should even criticize him in the press. Like Japan, Germany is the democratic bastion it is today because they were defeated by America, not conquered by the USSR.

Ambrose brings an even hand to history, criticizing America's mis-steps, and yet doing so without condemnation. He attributes much of that to his association with former President Eisenhower, who he interviewed weekly (or more) for his multi-volume biographies and other books about WW2. Without that association, he feared, he might have gone the way of other liberals of his time, spiraling into an abyss where America became an evil empire guilty of heinous crimes and responsible for all the ills of the world. It was impossible, he write, to know Eisenhower and not learn to honor and respect the country. In assessing America's unique nature upon the world stage, Ambrose points out three major triumphs for America:

*the creation of our democratic republic in the 18th Century
*the abolition of slavery and the holding together of our Union in the 19th Century
*the crushing of totalitarianism in the 20th Century

Unfortunately, having no crystal ball, and living only long enough to glimpse the rise of the world's greatest enemy of freedom and human rights, he was unable to predict what America's greatest triumph, or failure, would be in our fourth, and perhaps final, century. And yet, he felt, there might be some hope for the future; because of our accomplishments in bringing freedom and democracy to the oppressed peoples of the world, he wrote, "we have made the world a better place and will continue to do so."

While this book will appeal to the history buff, especially someone vitally concerned with the events and personalities of the Second World War (though Ambrose makes an argument that it was The Great War, Part 2), and is certainly required reading for any of Ambrose's many fans, it is also fascinating to anyone interested in America's history, or to the process of studying and making sense of history. Two things I took away from this book are that history is the study of people, their decisions and the consequences of those decisions, and that we are all, even now, writing the history of the future, that the consequences of our decisions will either redeem us or damn us, even though we will not live to receive either calumny or praise.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

In this random collection of things Ambrose wants to talk about, he tries to leave behind his school of "Old White Male History," but he just can't. Nor he can avoid a sometimes stunningly Amerocentric attitude. When Americans win a war or a battle, they do it with more glory and bravery than was ever seen before in history. When they accomplish some feat, it is better than any feat that ever came before. And when they form a hatred towards someone, that too is stronger than anyone else's hatred. (I might suggest he take a closer look at Asian relations.) Most of the book is made up of reflections on the traditional stuff: wars, presidents, and of the few of these I read, it was more than obvious he wrote about them not only out of personal interest but because he had done significant research on them throughout his career. Once or twice he tackled topics of social history, and it was also clear they held only a passing curiosity for him. Women's lib was almost entirely about his mother and two wives' experiences in the home and at work with almost no commentary on female society as a whole in the US (let alone how their experiences differed wildly by class and race) and wound up congratulating the US on leading the world in this field while blatantly ignoring decades of data on how European society is ahead of us by leagues when it comes to women's equality in the workplace. But I digress. I did learn some things. I liked reading about Teddy Roosevelt, but in the end, I had to put this book down before I threw it across the room.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

No doubt many of you have memories of history class as a dry uninteresting subject where memorizing some key characters and dates was what was required to make it through to the next level. Today history is one of my favorite genres to read and learn and I've discovered that there are actually writers who have the ability to make history interesting as well as educational. In "To America: Personal Reflections of an Historian," Stephen E. Ambrose, one of the country's most influential historians, reflects on his long career as an American historian and explains what an historian's job is all about. He also shares insights and behind the scenes looks at how he pulls together the good and the bad about our predecessors as he writes about their stories with triumphs and tragedies and all that goes with that. I have read several of his books and have found them to be captivating in how he presents his thoroughly researched topics and actually brings history to life. He takes a few swings at the political correctness craze of today, as well as his own early biases, as he grapples with the country's historic sins of racism, its neglect and ill treatment of Native Americans, and its tragic errors. He reflects on some of the country's early founders who were progressive thinkers while living a contradiction as slaveholders including Washington and Jefferson. He contemplates many of the key events in our history, many of which are contained in his books such as the stunning victory over the British in the War of 1812, the grueling journey of Lewis and Clark to open up the newly acquired territory to the west, and the building of the transcontinental railroad that joined it and greatly reduced the time to safely travel from the east to the west.

The author explains and records America's assumption of world power under the leadership of Theodore Roosevelt, and extols its heroic victory in World War II. He writes about women's rights and civil rights and immigration, founding museums, and nation- building. He contrasts the presidencies of Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Lyndon B. Johnson and the misunderstood presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. Throughout, Ambrose celebrates the unflappable American spirit. Throughout all of this, Ambrose writes about writing history. "To America" is an instant classic for all those interested in history, patriotism, and the love of writing.

[Gregg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Ambrose gives some overall thoughts on what America actually is, using his decades of scholarship, study and writing to back himself up. He defends several critiques of American history: the bombing of Japan in WWII, for example, or the myth of Native American harmony with nature. He speaks at length about the work involved in history scholarship, and through his description, his love becomes the reader's as well.

Must say, I'm a bit irritated at Ambrose on occasion in this book (God rest his soul). He argues that no one could find fault with Western expansionism, or else they'd have to tell the immigrants and surveyors they had to go back to New York, Boston or Chicago rather than push westward, taking the natives' lands, "and who would agree to say such a thing?" I would.

He also compares the pleasure of blowing a steam engine horn to the pleasure of an orgasm. Yeah. He lost me right there, too.

But there's plenty else he says worth listening to. I don't know if this was the last book he wrote before succumbing to lung cancer in 2002 or so, but it's a fitting elegy regardless. Nixon dismissively referred to Ambrose, the man who'd written a three-volume biography of him as evenhanded as anyone could possibly pull off, as "just another liberal historian." Wuh. Dick, pal, that guy was in your court more than you'll ever know. He was in all of our courts. That's an American.

[Trevor Ralls · Rating 1 out of 5]

With such masterpieces as "Undaunted Courage", "Band of Brothers" and "D-Day", it is difficult to write a negative review of Stephen Ambrose's epitaph contemplation "To America: Personal Reflections of An Historian". Ambrose applies 21st century thought to 18th century events, a sin by any historian's standards. Within the first 5 pages, Ambrose stoops to discounting Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, as a "racist", a "bigot" and an "intellectual coward" (how can any historian discount the structure of slavery in 18th century aristocracy or the fact that Jefferson's prominence was a result of it? - albeit a horrific scar on American history). Although the other end of the spectrum is represented, such overpowering treatment continues throughout the book.
One bright spot in the book is the objective treatment of Richard Nixon, although the subject is not susceptible to Ambrose's disappointing jabs. It is important for the reader to take this book with a teaspoon of salt, the tag-line title must be considered, that this is Ambrose's "personal reflection". His decision to keep his own opinion at bay in his previous work was a wise one as Ambrose seems more determined to end his legacy as a controversialist (evidenced by his frequent recounting of his own protest attendance) than an objective voice of history.

I would advise potential readers to the leave "To America" on the shelf and read, and re-read, Ambrose's 25 other published treasures.

[Skyring · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded this on Audible before I left, and listened to it through Iowa and Missouri, running down through Hannibal to St Louis. Finished it when I got back home.

I really enjoyed Ambrose's insights into and knowledge of some of the great people and events of American history. And I learnt a lot.

This is kind of the "history behind the history". This is Ambrose telling us why he became interested in certain subjects, often on the most trivial of happenstances. It's also a bit of a roadtrip through Ambrose's life, travelling through America in time and space.

I've always loved Ambrose's books, ever since I became aware of "Band of Brothers". I've devoured them all since then. His son is following in his footsteps with "The Pacific", but isn't quite the writer his father was.

Thoroughly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the subject of history, not to mention history itself.

[Guy Choate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd never read any of Ambrose's books, so this book provided a nice survey of his body of work through 2002. Writing about the events in history that shaped this country had to have been a lot different in 2002 than writing about them a year later, after we'd invaded Iraq. Ambrose writes with such optimism toward the way America is seen around the world. At one point he talks about what the future of warfare will look like--essentially rebuilding a nation's infrastructure while earning that nation's trust. I wonder what Ambrose would have to say about our last decade in Iraq. Without that perspective, he delivers an ode to this country, and it left me with a good dose of patriotism. It also filled me with nostalgia for the way we were before this costly war.

[Peter Mayeux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ambrose offers an eclectic set of historical profiles and his opinions about each topic or event. I enjoyed his writing style. His casual source citations detracted from the work. For my tastes, I tired of his constant references about his academic background, research activities, and teaching experiences. Since this was Ambrose's last book, I should not pass judgement on his selection and presentation of these historical events. I would like to read another of his books, especially one of the biographies he published early in his career.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Ambrose, one of our country’s preeminent historians, writes about writing history. It’s a refreshing look at some of the men and women, famous or not, who have made the United States a model for the world. Ambrose celebrates America’s spirit, confronting our failures and struggles. If you love history, and the stories about the people who shaped our destiny, pick up this book. It’s a quick read, but one you’ll want to add to your bookshelf.

[Dave Gaston · Rating 3 out of 5]

To America", was Ambrose's very last effort, but it should not be the first book you read from him. My favorite American historian tossed me a little zinger from the grave (Master Steve... no disrespect intended!). I assumed, from his dust jacket, that this was a tribute collection of his favorite moments in history told in sequence. I've always had a pipe dream to do just that; line up all my favorite historical books (like little dominoes) and kick-off a chain reaction rolling forward through time. The first half of his book filled the bill and broke some new ground for me. For example, he went out of his way to dispel several false myths about our American heritage. However, by the second half of the book, sodden Steven, had dropped his veil and introduced some personal life history. To his credit, most of his family cameos ran in quasi context to the story line. Ambrose then ended his book (his very last) with a little, feisty rant... some GI Joe flag waving and an appeal to "Tear Down Those Dams!" Don't get me wrong, this book is a gift to the students of Ambrose, it offers a rare personal glimpse into a man revered for his tightfisted history. Reflecting on his life's work, it occurs to me, Ambrose loved what I love; Outdoor Adventure Stories, The Founding Fathers, WW2, America in the 30's and History in general. His books consistently exhibited a rare gift for clarity, brevity and beauty. In addition, his signature style always packed a little punch with a side of panache. His last effort, a loose romp across American history, might be the only book that ran astray. "To America," is a bittersweet send up from a master story teller and an old sly hat. I won't have to miss Ambrose, because he left behind his books. What a clever immortal man!

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining and informative book from one of America’s most notable historians. The theme is his life of telling the American story using the stories of many ordinary people who experienced extraordinary events. Certainly, he writes about massive figures such as Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Nixon, about whom he published lengthy books. But he purposely wrote books about lower ranking American fighting men to see war from their perspective. Either way Ambrose’s style is to focus on the man, to get to know him and present him as completely and evenly as possible. In this book he provides a sample of America using broad strokes and cover broad themes which remain in the public discourse: westward expansion, race, gender, American values. He admits to having been a dove but through extensive research and interaction with veterans has become much more appreciative of their service and thusly more patriotic. His patriotism is imbued with a positivity about America’s future potential. He admits to having been liberal minded but that his exposure to America’s leaders from WWII caused him to reshape his views on why we fought and the good America did for other nations. What I enjoyed most were his chapters on how he became a historian, how his professors mentored him, and what it takes to succeed as a historian. There is much good material for any aspiring writer. In this regards it is uplifting to see how his family grew together as they participated in the research process, including long trips in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, Custer and Crazy Horse, and the 506th Infantry.

[Zach Scheller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this on a whim, not realizing how incredibly timely the subject matter is. While I don't agree with Ambrose on everything, I did feel his discussions in this book are important - to boil down complex times and people into a singular position is, at best, misguided. America's history is a troubled one, and we shouldn’t shy from that. But our ability to recognize that trouble in the first place and ultimately find solutions is largely built on the framework that our history is built on. Don't sugarcoat history, nor throw the baby out with the bath-water.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most Historians spend their lives striving to maintain objectivity on their chosen subjects. The reader should be allowed to make their own interpretations of the information represented. But the successful historian author (such as Stephen Ambrose) has refined their narrative skillful to expand interest in the material. This, I believe, can bend objectivity ever so slightly. But it's also why Ambrose is one the best selling historians of the last twenty years. He knows how to tell history in a way that makes it as good as anything on the fiction bestseller list that resides next to his books.

His final book, "To America", is Ambrose lifting the curtain and sharing some of his own thoughts on an assorted selection of key american events/personalities in history. His subjects include the expected like the Revolution, Battle of New Orleans, and WW II as well as the unexpected (Richard Nixon, D-Day Musuem). The chapters are relatively short but in it's entirety it's one of the most comprehensive insightful American history books I've read to date. Yes, it hits the high spots but it provides a deep sense of the American ideal throughout. You can fill in the gaps on your own. This country is better represented because of the work that Stephen Ambrose has provided us.

[Cheryl Gatling]

This book is a collection of essays. The first chapters are about historical topics: Thomas Jefferson, President Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, the American Indian wars, World War II. Later topics become more and more personal. He writes about his experiences writing most of his famous books: the people he met, the experiences he had. He describes how rancor over the Viet Nam war divided his family, so that he and his brothers did not speak for years. He describes how he came to care about African-American civil rights, and women's rights, evolving from a clueless product of his day to one who started to "get it." If there is one theme of the book, it is his personal evolution through the study of history. Many times he says, "I used to think this, as I had been taught, but now I have a different perspective." If there is another theme to the book, it is that he deeply loves American democracy, American freedom, and the spirit of Americans who went out in the world with optimism, doing what people thought could not be done. He finds much to criticize about American actions through the years, but he lapses into veritable poetry when he thinks of his country. It is stirring. And I liked that it came from a man Nixon once dismissed as "just another left-wing historian." Today, if you accept the rhetoric, only right-wingers truly love this country. But they are wrong.

[Jennifer Stringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, taking on my kid's summer reading assignment. This book was a much better choice than last year's history reading assignment. Actually, it's the first time I've read Stephen Ambrose, though I had certainly heard of him. He wrote the book shortly before he passed on and I'm sure he must have known he was dying as he wrote it. It reads like a love letter to America, with a real "Letters to a Young Poet" vibe. He describes his life as a historian - his regrets and his proudest moments - along with him conclusions regarding the US and history. The good and the bad thing about being a country founded on a principle is that you will never measure up. You can always do better. The American story is of a people trying to do better - from slave-holding constitutional writers, through the civil war, westward expansion, Imperialism, World Wars and civil rights both minority and women. When we realize our mistakes, we correct them. He encourages young historians not to label "good" and "bad" people, but people with different values and different agendas. (I want to go back and find his Crazy Horse and Custer biographies now. He claims they were so much alike, they would have been the best of friends if not on opposite sides - hard to believe.)He ends with US role in world - spreading democracy by example. A worthwhile read.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written as Stephen Ambrose was suffering from the lung cancer that would ultimately take his life. It is written not as his typical books covering a particular person or event in history, but in a series of personal essays on the topics that he covered in his career. If you are looking for something different than a series of essays, then I suggest picking up Citizen Soldiers: The U S Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany or Undaunted Courage.

I liked the way Ambrose attempts to take a broad view of those topics, discussing how his and our views of particular people and events (The Founding Fathers, Teddy Roosevelt, the end of World War II, etc.) have changed over time. For a writer who covered so many topics, was the driving force in the creation of the excellent National WWII Museum in New Orleans (http://www.ddaymuseum.org), it was written to bring some finality to his career.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Ambrose was one of my favorite historians. He was an excellent writer that brought a "you are there" quality to his works. In many cases, he actually had been there, such as on the Missouri River following the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, which made his books more authoritative and readable. Sadly, he passed away due to cancer in 2002, but he managed to finish this last work.

"To America" is a little bit memoir, a little bit "greatest hits," and a little bit patriotic hymn to America. In it, Ambrose discusses the Founding Fathers, the Battle of New Orleans, General Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Ike, and, of course, World War II. However, he also has interesting things to say about nationbuilding, Richard Nixon, America's transformation in the 1960s, and what it's like to write history (10 hours of a day for a number of years, in case you're curious). If you like Ambrose's books, I would highly recommend it (the parts abut Eisenhower are especially interesting). If you've never read one of Ambrose's books, this is a readable introduction to his scholarship that will probably make you want to tackle some of his other books.

[Michael Gerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another typical Ambrose book that promotes the myth that it was only the US that won the Second World War and omits its hegemonic actions.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It made me want to read all his books and I enjoyed some of his personal anecdotes. Made me want to read all his books and see the D-Day museum in New Orleans

[Lily P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Audio book)

Familiar with Ambrose from "Band of Brothers", "D-Day" and "Citizen Soldiers" I looked forward to this collection of thoughts and reflections by a famous historian. I had so enjoyed the collection of speeches and essays by David McCullough, that I was sure I would love this book too.

I'm ambivalent.

The life of a historian can be very interesting. Researching and writing, telling stories of people, not just the battles and politics. Ambrose certainly had opportunities to research, interview and read first hand accounts of a variety of important historical figures and events. I appreciated the overview of his career and writing process.

Where I began to take issue with him, was the cheery bluster PR about how great America is and the derogatory comparisons with soldiers of other countries. For an historian, it felt quite biased and dipped into the waters of propaganda.

His idolization of Andrew Jackson, glossing over his intense hostility to Indians and Blacks because he saved the country by winning the battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812 is a little uncomfortable.

His opinions and treatment of Ulysses S. Grant attempted to show two sides of the his legacy--talking about how well loved he was while serving the country as General and President--and then the "revelations" of his drunkenness and mismanagement/ corruption during his presidency that later historians dug up and taught in classrooms for decades. I suspect Ambrose thinks he's being wise and generous to Grant, reminding us that we should appreciate what Grant did to end the Civil War. He fails to make the connection between the hatchet job Southern historians and textbook publishers intentionally did to President Grant. Yes, there was some corruption in his cabinet, but the real crime in their eyes was his dedication to Lincoln's vision for reconstruction and equality for blacks.

There's a boastfulness to Ambroses' opinions that can make you cringe. He repeats that when asked advice on how to be a good writer, he suggests marrying an English Major and having her read your work and contribute--without credit . . . or pay. Yep, just take the little woman's contribution as your own. That's okay. You own her, don't you?

He admits that he was the deciding vote to prevent women from joining a club.

What grated the most, were his belief that Mississippi, Louisiana and other southern states have overcome racism and everything is just fine now. His belief that American soldiers are the best because they know right from wrong and other soldiers around the world don't. His opinion that women DO have equal rights already.

So just as I'm about to give up on the book, he has a chapter on the contribution of immigrants and the how diversity IS our secret strength as a country.

In this current epoch of Nationalism and the rebirth of White male supremacy--these were really good words to hear. There were several quotes from Dwight D. Eisenhower (another of Ambrose's subjects) that made me yearn for Republicans from yesterday. I do not recognize the party today. I am so sad for what has become.

So I give it a 3 star review. It's an okay read, but not as strong or insightful--or uplifting--as I had hoped it would be.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 3 out of 5]

The form of this book reminded me of Barbara Tuchman's Practicing History. As their career comes to its end, authors of history have so many unused scraps, untold stories, unexplained episodes; of course, they stitch them together into another book. The memoir element is strong. Here is an opportunity to express their personal opinions, reactions and convictions.

What impressed me the most was how studying the documents changed Ambrose's mind about so many things. He often compares how he first taught a subject/person and how he revised it later, e.g. whether Truman was right in reference to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

His chapter on Ulysses S. Grant made me dust off Grant's memoir and decide to read it this year. I've read about a quarter of the books Ambrose has published, and several more are calling my name.

[Nancy Lilly F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it and want to read more by this author. My patriotism is stronger than ever now.

[Ted Hinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historian, Stephen Ambrose, combines an autobiographical sketch with numerous insights in U.S. history, along with editorial comments, to provide an interesting yet biased nonfiction read. Whether you agree or disagree with Mr. Ambrose's opinion, he does provide some little known facts about our country's short, but great history. He also, in these reflections, points out the social injustices and Imperfections of American society while honoring some unsung heroes.

[Terri Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this for a graduate school seminar. I am not wild about American history. Still, Ambrose gives a unique view of events and it feels like you are time traveling with Ambrose.

Ambrose almost lost me when he explained that his father refused to "give" his mother "permission" to get a job since he and his brothers and dad thought a woman's place was at home taking care of her husband and kids and finally he "gave her permission" to get involved in local boards and she got elected but he "refused to give her permission" to run for state office or Congress. Hello? When does a grown woman need permission? Is she a dog, a slave, or one of the kids? Fortunately, his views were later modernized and one of his most admired people was feminist author Betty Friedan.

Likewise, in speaking of western expansion, he says whites didn't treat the Native American tribes any worse than they treated each other (so killing and stealing their land is therefore okay because some tribes had fought each other?) and you couldn't tell all the people crowding in to the USA and breeding to just stay East (also land stolen from the natives). He never veered away from this opinion. Asshole.

I saw a reviewer say that it gives readers a ride back to an era when people felt good about American history. I don't feel good about a history of stealing land from Natives, killing them off, oppressing women, keeping blacks in slavery, Jim Crow, hatred and abuse of gays, J Edgar Hoover witchhunts (or Salem witch trials), ramming Christian mythology down the throats of non-Christians through force of law, dropping nuclear bombs on two civilian cities full of babies, kids, housewives, old people, and other innocents nor locking Japanese-Americans up for being of Japanese ancestry. I'm just that way.

There is a lot of personal stuff thrown in including why he opposed the Vietnam War and protested on campus which led to a rift between him and his family. Historical events involve real people and real consequences.

One part I loved was how he criticized founders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson for writing lofty words about all men being created equal while not considering blacks equal and owning them like property.

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely kick off a review by praising the audiobook narrator, but John Polk demands it here. This veteran from the American Printing House for the Blind and a contractor with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled delivers magic no matter the material. (Quick aside: His Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain? Breathtaking—the best I've ever heard.) Polk elevates Ambrose's essays with such stirring depth and emotion that the book leaps from enjoyable to unforgettable. His thoughtful, reflective delivery mirrors, I suspect, the introspection Ambrose poured into these chapters.

Chapter 1 dives into the Founding Fathers. Ambrose heaps praise on George Washington but spares little forgiveness for Thomas Jefferson. Chapter 2 spotlights the Battle of New Orleans—and that's where he dubs Andrew Jackson a great man. I blurted, “Wait! What?” mid-listen. His arguments make sense on paper, even if they slid down like bad colonoscopy prep.

Chapter 3 tackles white Americans' relationships with Native Americans. Ambrose dismantles the romantic "Noble Red Man" myth of unparalleled gentleness and environmental love. Tribes warred constantly, he notes, stealing land from one another. Early settlers “believed the land, or a portion of it, belongs to those who can seize it and hold it.” “In pushing the Great Plains tribes out of the way and taking their land, the whites were doing to the Sioux and the others what they had done to the tribes that preceded them.” He warns against overreach, though, and calls out shameful white treatment. “All Americans need to hang their heads--and this includes African Americans, who made up the 24th and 25th regiments, the so-called Buffalo Soldiers. They, along with the white regiments in the horse cavalry, fought, rounded up, put the Indians into camps.” Lies from whites inflicted some of the worst damage, he adds. Yet he ends optimistically: White Americans now seem more willing to let Indians hunt, fish, attend pow-wows, speak their languages, and herd cattle on horseback.

Chapter 4 celebrates the transcontinental railroad. I devoured every word, flashing back to elementary school field trips to Promontory Summit, standing where Leland Stanford, Brigham Young, and others drove the golden spike uniting the nation. Ambrose cheers the heroic workers of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific, comparing their triumphs over impossible odds to classic American grit.

Chapter 5 steals my heart—it's an intimate portrait of Ulysses S. Grant and Reconstruction. Ambrose laments how 20th-century historians shoved Grant off his pedestal. For decades, they branded him "Butcher Grant" for the bloody campaigns' toll. Nineteenth-century Americans, however, hailed the president who pursued Southern reconciliation. Tragically, 20th-century voices tied his name to scandal and corruption, crowning him the worst president ever. Ambrose slams the brakes on that negativity: Grant pioneered Reconstruction and civil rights ahead of his era. He defends him as a “great general, as good as any America ever produced, far better than most.”

Chapter 6 rescues Theodore Roosevelt from the "imperialist" label alone.

Chapter 7 explains America's World War II victory. Teamwork and democratic spirit rivaled industrial might, Ambrose argues—he dubs it “the American spirit.”

As an Eisenhower biographer, Ambrose ties optimism to that spirit. He quotes Ike:

“Optimism and pessimism are infectious, and they spread more rapidly from the head downward than from any other direction. Optimism has an extraordinary effect upon all with whom the commander comes in contact. With this clear realization, I firmly determined that my mannerisms in speech in public would always reflect the cheerful certainty of victory—that any pessimism and discouragement I might ever feel would be reserved for my pillow.”

Chapter 8 frames the Pacific War as a race war. Americans shared some cultural ties with Germans, fostering reluctant understanding. Pacific fighters? None. “Americans who liberated German houses found wine in the cellar and willing women in the house. Americans who resolutely claimed victories in the Pacific found neither women or wine, only the next disease-ridden, bug-infested conquest against an enemy that looked and talked differently from them.” Hate thrived in that void.

Chapter 9 probes World War II's legacy.

“What America, with its allies, did in West Germany and throughout western Europe in the aftermath of the Second World War was generous and wise.” Ambrose writes. “America’s young men had gone to Europe not to conquer, not to enslave, not to destroy, but to liberate. And no country in the world had the resources of spirit to do what America did.”

Later chapters roam widely: Vietnam, writing American history, and more. Chapter 13 dishes on crafting a three-volume Nixon biography without a single interview with Nixon. Ambrose charts his shift from hater to admirer (despite sharp disagreements). The biography's final line: “When Nixon resigned, we lost more than we gained. That was my conclusion. Perhaps my all-time favorite line in a review of my books came from ‘The Cleveland Plain Dealer,’ which concluded with the statement, ‘this book is one sentence too long.’”

Chapter 14 shares success rules from his mentoring professor:

“Keep your narration in chronological order, as that is the way it happened. Don’t anticipate. Don’t tell your reader what is going to happen by the end of the book. Keep your reader guessing, on the edge of the seat, which is just the way it was for Dwight Eisenhower on the morning of D-Day, 1944 or for Richard Nixon the day the Watergate story broke.

“Do your level best to avoid all words ending in ‘ly.’ Leave out adjectives--as many as possible. Start your sentence or your paragraph with a time and place clause—events happened here or there or on this or that date.

“Never use the passive voice. ‘Abraham Lincoln was shot dead Washington D.C. at Ford’s Theater on April 14, 1865’ is a bad sentence. ‘On April 14, 1865,at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C., John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln’ is better.”

Additional chapters cover racism, civil rights, the women's movement, and immigration. Solid, but skippable—I powered through, though no judgment if you don't.

The finale offers an unabashed tribute to America, warts and all. An outdated pitch for hydrogen-fueled cars dims it slightly (hot news when he wrote), but the heart shines through.

I loved this book, disagreements and all. Ambrose builds rock-solid cases for his views—that's what hooked me. It's no blind love letter, but a loving nod to what the nation represents. He owns the mistakes without letting them poison the bigger picture. You'll struggle to find a more thoughtful, fair salute to our flawed gem of a country.

4 stars.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Due to the events of the past week, I've been feeling very patriotic, and I wanted to read something distinctly so. I found historian Stephen Ambrose's last book "To America" to be just such a book. Written right before he died in 2002, this short book is a look back over event's and guiding principles he thinks have been key to the success of our country. A history teacher's final lecture.

Stephen Ambrose was attracted to military history. According to him, "the key events in American history were military. Winning the Revolutionary War or the Civil War, or World War II were the turning points in our history." Surprisingly, I found his thoughts on the subject very interesting. For me, a person who has a hard time coming to grips with the war in Iraq, his brief synopsis of how and why America became a military and moral leader became more clear. This country has been forged with the sweat and blood of it's military, its citizens and its leaders.

He does ramble more towards the end, and the writing seems hurried, but I've since discovered he was near death from cancer when he wrote it, and ultimately finished it. These were his last words. What a shame we will never know his thoughts on the Iraq war. On the Bush Presidency. On electing a black president. Oh how he would've loved it. Again, what a shame.