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The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects
The Smithsonian Institution is America's largest, most important, and most beloved repository for the objects that define our common heritage. Now Under Secretary for Art, History, and Culture Richard Kurin, aided by a team of top Smithsonian curators and scholars, has assembled a literary exhibition of 101 objects from across the Smithsonian's museums that together offer a marvelous new perspective on the history of the United States.Ranging from the earliest years of the pre-Columbian continent to the digital age, and from the American Revolution to Vietnam, each entry pairs the fascinating history surrounding each object with the story of its creation or discovery and the place it has come to occupy in our national memory. Kurin sheds remarkable new light on objects we think we know well, from Lincoln's hat to Dorothy's ruby slippers and Julia Child's kitchen, including the often astonishing tales of how each made its way into the collections of the Smithsonian. Other objects will be eye-opening new discoveries for many, but no less evocative of the most poignant and important moments of the American experience. Some objects, such as Harriet Tubman's hymnal, Sitting Bull's ledger, Cesar Chavez's union jacket, and the Enola Gay bomber, tell difficult stories from the nation's history, and inspire controversies when exhibited at the Smithsonian. Others, from George Washington's sword to the space shuttle Discovery, celebrate the richness and vitality of the American spirit. In Kurin's hands, each object comes to vivid life, providing a tactile connection to American history.
Beautifully designed and illustrated with color photographs throughout, The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects is a rich and fascinating journey through America's collective memory, and a beautiful object in its own right.
Beautifully designed and illustrated with color photographs throughout, The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects is a rich and fascinating journey through America's collective memory, and a beautiful object in its own right.
784 pages, Hardcover
First published October 29, 2013
76 people are currently reading
1523 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
February 21, 2017
Review to come.
This review is unbiased and based upon a copy won through the Goodreads First Reads program.
This review is unbiased and based upon a copy won through the Goodreads First Reads program.
May 23, 2016
If you have read A history of the world in 100 objects, this is like that, though confined to American history. The book includes maps, as well as a essays about the process and what was left out. Kurin includes items from all the museums of the Smithsonian, including the Zoo and the opening this year (2016) African-American museum.
June 6, 2014
Excellent! Really engaging writing, and relating American History from the perspective of not-so-obvious (and obvious) objects and the role they played. Highly recommended for the armchair historian.
Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/898789...
Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/898789...
August 10, 2021
Wow. This book is an incredible tour through the amazing collections of the Smithsonian. It is recently written, so expertly discusses some extremely difficult and controversial parts of American history. Kurin not only describes the object and how the Smithsonian acquired it, but also describes the events surrounding the object, often in extremely heartbreaking terms. Everyone should read this book, if for nothing else, to understand how terrible this country has treated its own citizens over the years, how far we have come in such a short time, and how far we have yet to go.
December 27, 2023
I really enjoyed these bite-sized American history lessons. I felt that Kurin tried his hardest to represent the myriad facets of American history in his choices. That being said, he could have picked 101 different object and had an equally fascinating book. There were many more than 101 objects shown in the book since each chapter often discussed related items. I liked being able to see the items being discussed, especially as Kurin often discussed specific elements of the item. He also included how the items entered the collection. It's not a book you're going to sit and read cover to cover since each chapter is an independent essay. It worked perfectly to read a few chapters at a time.
April 9, 2018
I saw this book at the library and had to snag it. It's inspired by the British Museum's History of the World in 100 Objects, but localized to the US with objects from the Smithsonian. I really enjoyed the British Museum's presentation, and I LOVE the Smithsonian, so was pretty thrilled to find this.
Kurin doesn't hold back--the objects represent the good, the bad, and the ugly side of American history. There's obvious things like Lincoln's hat, the Star Spangled Banner, and Edison's lightbulb. But also surprising things, like the cape gifted by King Kamehameha when Hawaii was sovereign. Or pen and paper drawings by Sitting Bull and other Native Americans, showing a different perspective on westward expansion. There are also shackles from a slave ship and a Klan robe. Kurin's writeup of each object is fantastic.
If you're in the market for a coffee table book that is actually very good, here you go. If I had a coffee table, this book would be on it.
Kurin doesn't hold back--the objects represent the good, the bad, and the ugly side of American history. There's obvious things like Lincoln's hat, the Star Spangled Banner, and Edison's lightbulb. But also surprising things, like the cape gifted by King Kamehameha when Hawaii was sovereign. Or pen and paper drawings by Sitting Bull and other Native Americans, showing a different perspective on westward expansion. There are also shackles from a slave ship and a Klan robe. Kurin's writeup of each object is fantastic.
If you're in the market for a coffee table book that is actually very good, here you go. If I had a coffee table, this book would be on it.
June 3, 2016
I checked this book out on a whim from the library because I have always been interested in the Smithsonian and the exhibits. I was really amazed, and fascinated, by the depth and breadth of objects they chose. Each one was given special consideration, and each one was like a puzzle piece that told the story of our history. I learned a lot reading this book.
January 5, 2014
Great concept and photos of iconic objects found throughout America's history. This would be a great addition to a school library or as a supplemental text for classrooms.
September 18, 2019
I want to give this book two ratings.
In terms of the history I learned from the book I would give it a 4. As a social studies teacher, I have had some exposure to history, especially American history, but even I learned about new objects I had not heard of before, and I also learned new tidbits about objects I did know about. In general, I liked the selection of objects early on while reading the book. I thought it was a good sample to represent the path of American history, although maybe a few less contemporary items could have evened out the spread a bit more. With that said, I cannot say I agree with the 101 objects chosen, but I think it would be hard to find any two people who would pick the same 101 objects from all the thousands housed in the Smithsonian.
In terms of the writing of the book, however, I would give it a 2. The farther into the book I read, the more I became dissatisfied with it for two reasons. One is that there seemed to me to be an apparent liberal bent to the selection of objects, notably as the history became more and more recent. I think a book about the history of America should not show partiality to a certain political ideology, and thus should have an unbiased selection. The second reason is that the author, as an employee of the Smithsonian, for some reason felt the need to chip in his two cents every so often, more often as the objects became more recent, about his personal involvement with the objects either through his work at the Smithsonian or having just been touched by its influence. While it was interesting to read that the author himself had some sort of tie to the objects the first few times, I soon became annoyed by his "I" statements. The more I read them, the more it felt to me like he was bragging and making the book too subjective for my tastes. Towards the end of the book, it seemed more like I was reading Kurin's own selection of the history of America, not the Smithsonian's. Kurin's personal ties to objects in the Smithsonian have a place somewhere, but it might be in their own book rather than this one.
In terms of the history I learned from the book I would give it a 4. As a social studies teacher, I have had some exposure to history, especially American history, but even I learned about new objects I had not heard of before, and I also learned new tidbits about objects I did know about. In general, I liked the selection of objects early on while reading the book. I thought it was a good sample to represent the path of American history, although maybe a few less contemporary items could have evened out the spread a bit more. With that said, I cannot say I agree with the 101 objects chosen, but I think it would be hard to find any two people who would pick the same 101 objects from all the thousands housed in the Smithsonian.
In terms of the writing of the book, however, I would give it a 2. The farther into the book I read, the more I became dissatisfied with it for two reasons. One is that there seemed to me to be an apparent liberal bent to the selection of objects, notably as the history became more and more recent. I think a book about the history of America should not show partiality to a certain political ideology, and thus should have an unbiased selection. The second reason is that the author, as an employee of the Smithsonian, for some reason felt the need to chip in his two cents every so often, more often as the objects became more recent, about his personal involvement with the objects either through his work at the Smithsonian or having just been touched by its influence. While it was interesting to read that the author himself had some sort of tie to the objects the first few times, I soon became annoyed by his "I" statements. The more I read them, the more it felt to me like he was bragging and making the book too subjective for my tastes. Towards the end of the book, it seemed more like I was reading Kurin's own selection of the history of America, not the Smithsonian's. Kurin's personal ties to objects in the Smithsonian have a place somewhere, but it might be in their own book rather than this one.
May 28, 2018
How do you tell a country’s history in physical objects within the collection of its national museum? Author Richard Kurin and the Smithsonian Institution have tried in this delightful book.
As the title states, Kurin chose 101 objects representative of milestones in American history. After the introduction the objects are chronologically organized in 17 chapters, each with a thematic title. Usually the articles include a photo of the item or items and 5-8 pages of narrative. The objects run the gamut: the natural, Bald Eagle; exploratory and settlement, Pocahontas’ Portrait, and a Plymouth Rock Fragment; the Declaration of Independence and Star-Spangles Banner (that awed me when I first saw it at age 9); inventions, Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin and John Deere’s Steel Plow; the art of Albert Bierstadt and James Whistler; pop culture represented by Mickey Mouse and the Kermit the Frog and many others.
This is a book to read through or peruse at your leisure. Some objects will evoke memories. For me that includes the Wright Brothers’ Flyer and “Spirit of St. Louis”, that I have repeatedly gazed on with admiration. I learned from the comments, such as that Doughboys were prohibited from using Brownie’s to prevent unauthorized combat photos, that the Model T Ford could run on almost liquid fuel and that the need for uniforms during the Civil War sparked the advent of standard sizes.
At the end the author enumerates some of the items that did not make the list and how the hard choices of inclusion and exclusion were made. He has skillfully discerned what to highlight. Whether you are planning a visit to the Smithsonian, want to recall prior vacations or encounter its treasures through the printed page this tome is a book to read, savor and return to whenever your sense of wonder needs to be refreshed.
As the title states, Kurin chose 101 objects representative of milestones in American history. After the introduction the objects are chronologically organized in 17 chapters, each with a thematic title. Usually the articles include a photo of the item or items and 5-8 pages of narrative. The objects run the gamut: the natural, Bald Eagle; exploratory and settlement, Pocahontas’ Portrait, and a Plymouth Rock Fragment; the Declaration of Independence and Star-Spangles Banner (that awed me when I first saw it at age 9); inventions, Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin and John Deere’s Steel Plow; the art of Albert Bierstadt and James Whistler; pop culture represented by Mickey Mouse and the Kermit the Frog and many others.
This is a book to read through or peruse at your leisure. Some objects will evoke memories. For me that includes the Wright Brothers’ Flyer and “Spirit of St. Louis”, that I have repeatedly gazed on with admiration. I learned from the comments, such as that Doughboys were prohibited from using Brownie’s to prevent unauthorized combat photos, that the Model T Ford could run on almost liquid fuel and that the need for uniforms during the Civil War sparked the advent of standard sizes.
At the end the author enumerates some of the items that did not make the list and how the hard choices of inclusion and exclusion were made. He has skillfully discerned what to highlight. Whether you are planning a visit to the Smithsonian, want to recall prior vacations or encounter its treasures through the printed page this tome is a book to read, savor and return to whenever your sense of wonder needs to be refreshed.
August 11, 2022
It must have been difficult to whittle all of American history down to a mere 101 representative objects, but that's just what Richard Kurin of the Smithsonian has done. From fossils and fauna to clothing, art, machinery and everyday objects, each item has been photographed and is described in fascinating detail, illustrating its provenance and historical significance. At 704 pages, and reading only on my lunch breaks, it took me some time to get through, but that sort of pacing felt right for this work. I read it front to back, but it's the type of book one could open to any page and begin curiously browsing. There is a counterpart volume published by the British Museum, A History of the World in 101 Objects, which I am also looking forward to. Recommended for history enthusiasts.
March 24, 2024
Fun book. Long. Super heavy…as in weight. Kurin is a curator for the Smithsonian and with the help of his staff, chose 101 different objects to share the history of America. All done in historical order from millions of years ago to recent pieces from the 9/11 attack.
Soem classic pieces. He explains each piece. Talks about the history the piece connects to. An example, a postal stamper from Pearl Harbor which he uses to talk about WWII.
Each piece has a few pages. He also talks about the piece itself, but also how they obtained the piece.
It’s a fun and different at to read American history. There’s also a PBS series that follows it.
If you like museums. You’ll like this book. Enjoy.
Soem classic pieces. He explains each piece. Talks about the history the piece connects to. An example, a postal stamper from Pearl Harbor which he uses to talk about WWII.
Each piece has a few pages. He also talks about the piece itself, but also how they obtained the piece.
It’s a fun and different at to read American history. There’s also a PBS series that follows it.
If you like museums. You’ll like this book. Enjoy.
December 9, 2021
Seemed like a wicked cool concept when I first saw the book, and definitely at least lived up to my expectations. A collection of fascinating objects from the Smithsonian collection - which proves an interesting lens for learning more about the history of North America, the USA, and the Smithsonian Collections. For such a huge book, because it contained so many items, summaries still had to be kept relatively brief. So while perhaps understandable it was perhaps disappointing when the book trended toward sharing the common point of view around an item or point of view, and at times seemed to clearly shy away from controversial or potentially "unpatriotic" points of view.
December 12, 2023
Everything you could ever want to know about American history in just 700 pages! Lol... This book is lengthy, but an incredible work of research and interesting facts. Each artifact has 3-4 pages with in-depth history and an overview of how the Smithsonian acquired it, and the artifacts are grouped into time periods.
I'd keep these book as a handy resource, and it makes a great conversation starter.
I'd keep these book as a handy resource, and it makes a great conversation starter.
May 15, 2017
Reading this book was like taking a tour of the Smithsonian with a very knowledgeable docent. Each highlighted object is connected to a story in American history and has an interesting backstory of how it was preserved and acquired by the museum. Very interesting, and would make a great supplemental textbook.
December 21, 2018
I love this book. Super informative, entertaining, and all around fun to read. It is really long, so be warned, but it really is interesting. I did not know that lots of folks consider it a coffee table book but I was in for the long haul, read the whole thing, and am so glad I did!
July 14, 2017
A good read through American History. The writer has had done a marvelous job by not only describing the artifact but the whole story behind it.
March 26, 2018
This is the type of book I love! This was inspired by the British Museum's History of the World, which I really enjoyed. What a fun way of learning or relearning our country's history.
November 6, 2018
So interesting. Some of the write-ups are a little dry, and even the most avid reader will take a LONG time to get through this. But it's worth it.
August 6, 2019
This book got bogged down by its own sense of importance.
July 31, 2022
A great thriller. Couldn't put it down
October 22, 2017
First I'd like to take the time to say if the Smithsonian isn't already one of your favorite museums it will be by the time you finish this book. This book is a weighty one not only does my paperback copy weigh a little over 3 pounds but the information inside makes this book a not so quick read. In this book Richard Kurin sorts through the Smithsonian's vast collections to find 101 objects that best tell the story of American History. These essays are around 3-4 pages each but pack in enough information about the object, it's importance to the American tale, AND how the Smithsonian came to acquire it. Reading this book slowly to absorb all that is a must. A bit of advice I'd like to offer is maybe try to find the hardback copy as my paperback's spine didn't really hold up as well as it could have (I have a few pages that have come loose.)
November 3, 2016
This book was huge (both in span and physical heft) and interesting, but, at the end of the day, it sort of made me sad. So many of the objects that were picked managed to drive home all the more what a hateful, bigoted, greedy country America is. And I'm not complaining about that or shaking my fist and ranting about some conspiracy agenda, I'm just saying that it's rather sad that in 200+ years of being a country, SO much of our history revolves around screwing over other people for being different. You've got slave shackles with their fairly obvious history, Klan robes and talk of over a thousand lynchings, the coat of a world renowned and acclaimed singer who couldn't even book a venue in her home country because of her skin colour, gay rights signs from the 1960s, animals that were hunted to extinction even after people pointed out that they were dying out, the royal cape of a Hawaiian king and the story of how the country was forced to conform, the coat of a man who tried to get his people to be paid at least minimum wage for back breaking work, and more.
It's like...man, America, this is what you have to offer?
All things considered, I'm not surprised by any of it because it's all stuff I already knew about. It's just a little crushing when you have it all laid out in a chronology like this. We go from fighting for freedom, to slavery, to innovation, to racism, racism, bigotry, and then off to art and space.
I did enjoy the book, I did enjoy the history. It just made me sad.
It's like...man, America, this is what you have to offer?
All things considered, I'm not surprised by any of it because it's all stuff I already knew about. It's just a little crushing when you have it all laid out in a chronology like this. We go from fighting for freedom, to slavery, to innovation, to racism, racism, bigotry, and then off to art and space.
I did enjoy the book, I did enjoy the history. It just made me sad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2016
The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects by Richard Kurin (The Penguin Press 2013)(973) is an incredibly thoughtful selection of physical objects that help tell the tale of our country from prehistory (e.g., "Clovis points" were created to bring down megafauna (big game) that is now extinct in North America) to the future (The Giant Magellan Telescope, which the Smithsonian is constructing in Chile, is so amazing that I must quote rather than paraphrase: "The telescope, in enabling us to look far out into space, also allows us to look back in time. Light travels at about 186,000 miles per second. When we look up into the daylight sky, we are not seeing the sun as it currently is but as it was about eight minutes ago, since it takes that long for the light radiating from this familiar star to travel 93 million miles to Earth. Similarly, when the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) receives light waves from the depths of the universe, those waves will have originated from points as far as 76 sextillion (76,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) miles away. It will have taken those waves some 13 billion years to arrive on earth, meaning they left their source about a million years after the big bang, and roughly nine to ten years before Earth even formed." (p.691). Wow! My rating: 8/10, finished 4/7/14.
February 4, 2014
Kurin uses 101 artifacts from the Smithsonian's collections to vividly illustrate American culture. Each article is about an artifact--but it's about so much more than that. He carefully wends together inventions like the airplane and the light bulb with Abe Lincoln's hat, Ben Franklin's staff, and even the Stars & Strips of Fort McHenry in a tapestry of enlightened story-telling.
Along with information about each artifact, Kurin describes the process by which it came to reside in the nation's museum. Artifacts from a wide range of museums--including the Museum of African-American History and the Native American Museum are represented.
As a teacher, I used an obscure article about King Kamehameha's feathered cape in a unit with my students, and the quality of research and the quality of writing held up to a very in-depth study.
Kurin closes the book with a reflection on artifacts that he didn't get to fit into his top 101. He comes across as a thorough researcher and devoted curator for my country's treasures.
As an American I feel grateful to have people like Kurin in charge of my country's historic artifacts. As a reader, I am grateful for this intelligent, inspiring book.
Along with information about each artifact, Kurin describes the process by which it came to reside in the nation's museum. Artifacts from a wide range of museums--including the Museum of African-American History and the Native American Museum are represented.
As a teacher, I used an obscure article about King Kamehameha's feathered cape in a unit with my students, and the quality of research and the quality of writing held up to a very in-depth study.
Kurin closes the book with a reflection on artifacts that he didn't get to fit into his top 101. He comes across as a thorough researcher and devoted curator for my country's treasures.
As an American I feel grateful to have people like Kurin in charge of my country's historic artifacts. As a reader, I am grateful for this intelligent, inspiring book.
December 24, 2015
Originally got this from the library before a family vacation to Washington, D.C. and enjoyed it so much I bought a copy for myself at the National Museum of American History. My dad and I are both history buffs, so I would tell him fun facts from my reading whenever we encountered an object from the book in our sightseeing; it greatly enriched the trip for both of us.
It is a LOT of American history in one book, but what a fascinating way to view it! The objects help to connect you with the past and make the stories much more vivid and meaningful. And the fact that you can go see (most of) them in person is an added thrill. Even just skimming the book is fun and informative - you're bound to learn something you never knew before no matter how well-versed in American history you think you are. Highly recommended for history geeks and anyone interested in the Smithsonian and its collections!
It is a LOT of American history in one book, but what a fascinating way to view it! The objects help to connect you with the past and make the stories much more vivid and meaningful. And the fact that you can go see (most of) them in person is an added thrill. Even just skimming the book is fun and informative - you're bound to learn something you never knew before no matter how well-versed in American history you think you are. Highly recommended for history geeks and anyone interested in the Smithsonian and its collections!
April 5, 2016
I normally don't read essays, which technically this is 101 of them. However, I recommend this to all history fans--and is a great gift. I overcame my fear of essays by reading one a day. Each one is fascinating--well written, clearly explained, and nicely illustrated. Of course you can't detail the history of anything in 101 objects so this is a selection. It starts with the Burgess Shale (half a billion years ago) and ends with the Giant Magellan Telescope, to be finished in 2020. The Smithsonian has pieces of millions of years of history.
James Smithson, an Englishman who never set foot in the United States, funded this museum as he thought this new country was forward thinking. The museum is huge--it is located in many different places and employs hundreds of people who collect, research, retell, and more.
A fun book.
James Smithson, an Englishman who never set foot in the United States, funded this museum as he thought this new country was forward thinking. The museum is huge--it is located in many different places and employs hundreds of people who collect, research, retell, and more.
A fun book.
November 20, 2015
I downloaded this book on my Nook prior to my trip to D.C.with my sister. We skipped among the pages reading about topics that interested us. Both of us gravitated toward the sciences and history. One of the highlights of our visit was seeing Martha, the last carrier pigeon. My sister teaches earth science and Martha is in her lectures about conservation, ecology and vanishing species.
Another favorite was the display of First Ladies gowns and history of the presidents. John Kennedy's funeral was on video. I was slightly disappointed that the video did not include the members of the armed forces who followed behind the cortège. My husband was in the front row.
Another favorite was the display of First Ladies gowns and history of the presidents. John Kennedy's funeral was on video. I was slightly disappointed that the video did not include the members of the armed forces who followed behind the cortège. My husband was in the front row.
July 12, 2020
I loved looking through this book full of pictures and stories about the most meaningful objects in the vast Smithsonian collection. The author describes the time period and why this object is considered important and impactful on American history. Some of the items are obvious - President Lincoln’s top hat, President George Washington’s sword and uniform - but some are not. I enjoyed learning about these objects even more than the well-known ones!
January 3, 2014
If you love the Smithsonian and American History this is a MUST read! The book tells the story of 101 objects - the objects story, it's link to US History, and it's story of how it got to the museum. All groups and stories are represented. It would make a great textbook for an American history class paired with a creative teacher!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews