National Geographic Almanac of American History

by John Thompson, James Miller

Featuring National Geographic's hallmark combination of stunning images, superb maps, authoritative narrative, and concise, penetrating analysis, the Almanac of American History has been carefully designed to offer its readers not just a wider and deeper understanding of our country's development, but also an inviting mix of fascinating facts and colorful graphics that make it a browser's delight. After the Introduction by respected historian Hugh Ambrose and a special feature on how to use the Almanac's features most efficiently, the book is divided into four major parts, each exploring a different aspect of America's history. The first explores the continent's geology and geography to answer the fundamental question of how the vast, rich landscape shaped both our expanding society and our sense of ourselves. In Section 2, Milestones, twelve essays discuss how America evolved from a sparsely settled wilderness into the global leader it is today. Section 3 covers the major eras in America's history, beginning with the earliest Native Americans and closing with the first decade of a new millennium. Finally, a thematically organized section discusses such important topics as Leaders, Wars, Religion and Beliefs, and Presidents. An appendix features Milestone Documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, and more. A bibliography and a comprehensive index complete this indispensable reference.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Reference

384 pages, Paperback

First published December 6, 2005

About the author

Born in the Midlands during the 1930’s, then brought up from modest beginnings in the South of England, the author was shocked to discover at the age of 43, during a divorce and custody battle for his children, that he was adopted at birth. He decided to search for his natural parents, which led to an entirely new and wealthy family with an inspiring 700 year old history. The next thirty years were an incredible journey covering every emotion from excitement, joy, sadness and despair, including an extraordinary number of unusual coincidences and a series of lucky breaks.
Before his retirement he pursued a stimulating career as a chartered civil engineer, managing multi-million pound projects in the UK. A keen sportsman all his life, he is also passionate about travelling, history, music, and meeting people.

Reviews

[James S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A serviceable overview of the subject, if rather forgettable and generically written. One thing I hadn't known about - the MS Saint Louis, a ship carrying Jews trying to leave Europe that was turned away from the US. Hundreds of people on board were murdered in the Holocaust later on.

[Jenny T · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is formatted as a collection of essays, each of which gives a good overview, but leaves some questions unanswered. I'm still not really sure what happened in World War I. I love the appendix replete with lists. Here I read about some things I'd heard about, but never studied in much depth, such as the sad Trail of Tears, the Israeli/Middle East conflict. I thought the tone was fairly unbiased, presentation was balanced, and no ideology was detected. There was a good integration of timelines, close-ups, and narrative. It's semi-outdated, as it ends with President Bush Jr, up to his first term, but I like the good summaries.

[April Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, though you need a dictionary for many adjectives and the occasional important word. I consider myself an average to above average reader and had a great deal of difficulty understanding some sections. Just glossing over most of the words you don’t know, you can still enjoy it as written. Those words may add shades of meaning, yet you lose other meanings and connections by taking the time to look their meaning up.