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The American Experiment: The Vineyard of Liberty, The Workshop of Democracy, and The Crosswinds of Freedom
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author's stunning trilogy of American history, spanning the birth of the Constitution to the final days of the Cold War. In these three volumes, Pulitzer Prize-- and National Book Award-winner James MacGregor Burns chronicles with depth and narrative panache the most significant cultural, economic, and political events of American history. In The Vineyard of Liberty, he combines the color and texture of early American life with meticulous scholarship. Focusing on the tensions leading up to the Civil War, Burns brilliantly shows how Americans became divided over the meaning of Liberty.
In The Workshop of Democracy, Burns explores more than a half-century of dramatic growth and transformation of the American landscape, through the addition of dozens of new states, the shattering tragedy of the First World War, the explosion of industry, and, in the end, the emergence of the United States as a new global power.
And in The Crosswinds of Freedom, Burns offers an articulate and incisive examination of the US during its rise to become the world's sole superpower--through the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Cold War, and the rapid pace of technological change that gave rise to the "American Century."
In The Workshop of Democracy, Burns explores more than a half-century of dramatic growth and transformation of the American landscape, through the addition of dozens of new states, the shattering tragedy of the First World War, the explosion of industry, and, in the end, the emergence of the United States as a new global power.
And in The Crosswinds of Freedom, Burns offers an articulate and incisive examination of the US during its rise to become the world's sole superpower--through the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Cold War, and the rapid pace of technological change that gave rise to the "American Century."
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First published January 1, 2013
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About the author
James MacGregor Burns
76 books79 followersAn award-winning author of presidential and leadership studies, James MacGregor Burns was the Woodrow Wilson Professor of Government Emeritus at Williams College and Distinguished Leadership Scholar at the James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. He received his bachelor's degree from Williams College and his Ph.D. in political science from Harvard, and he also attended the London School of Economics. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he was past president of the American Political Science Association and the International Society of Political Psychology.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 17, 2019
These volumes are richly deserving of the many awards they received. The length of the books should not discourage; after all, 200 years of history is presented, analyzed, and discussed. Its strength is its emphasis on the abstract concepts that are the foundation of the American Experiment in self governing. Again and again we ask what was the meaning of 'liberty' and 'freedom' for the citizens, the politicians, the administrators, and the judges during the various periods of our history. What was the experience of the citizenry in their definition of the terms, and what does that tell us about our definition and experience?
These may seem weighty topics, but for me, the exercise provides a framework for understanding ourselves and our nation. One especially positive feeling I have at the conclusion is that the past is replete with the full spectrum of quality in leadership and performance. That is, America has faced incredible challenges throughout history, and many times we have advanced the ideals of our beginnings, but many times we have fallen short. Thus, the present times are not dissimilar to the past in terms of the magnitude of the challenge or the divisiveness in the electorate. Only time will tell if our generation's crises will be the beginning of renewal or a step towards the end of the experiment.
These may seem weighty topics, but for me, the exercise provides a framework for understanding ourselves and our nation. One especially positive feeling I have at the conclusion is that the past is replete with the full spectrum of quality in leadership and performance. That is, America has faced incredible challenges throughout history, and many times we have advanced the ideals of our beginnings, but many times we have fallen short. Thus, the present times are not dissimilar to the past in terms of the magnitude of the challenge or the divisiveness in the electorate. Only time will tell if our generation's crises will be the beginning of renewal or a step towards the end of the experiment.
May 20, 2016
A decent, if disjointed, 3-volume U.S. history that never quite coalesces around a singular or coherent theme. It seems to be about how Americans have defined "liberty" differently over the generations but that theme isn't addressed very strongly. Instead, the history tends to go off on odd tangents. The Space Race is covered only at the very end of the third volume (the books were published in the 1980s so it's not like they fell at the end of the narrative) while the life/death of Eleanor Roosevelt gets several pages (Burns admits to be a big fan of both FDR and Kennedy in the last volume and that's *painfully* clear). Other examples overtreatment are the art/literary movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries whereas the Korean War is barely mentioned.
Overall, something of a bland textbook-like read.
Overall, something of a bland textbook-like read.
August 25, 2021
A decent political history...
...but that's really about it. This series is billed as one that covers the political, social, and cultural events that drove American history, but the reality is this book is filled wth the nuances of political mechanizations that has brought us to where our current political system lies and touches very little on the cultural and social currents that have driven American history. It is well written and researched, but unless you are really into learning about all the minutiae of American politics, this series will bore you to tears. Not a very accessible political history,as Burns takes such a deep dive into American politics that it will certainly alienate some readers.
...but that's really about it. This series is billed as one that covers the political, social, and cultural events that drove American history, but the reality is this book is filled wth the nuances of political mechanizations that has brought us to where our current political system lies and touches very little on the cultural and social currents that have driven American history. It is well written and researched, but unless you are really into learning about all the minutiae of American politics, this series will bore you to tears. Not a very accessible political history,as Burns takes such a deep dive into American politics that it will certainly alienate some readers.
May 31, 2025
A thoroughly enjoyable and completely understandable political, economic, and cultural history of the United States. There was so much packed into this audible edition that my wife and I have decided to listen to it again from the very beginning. Highly recommended.
Read (listened to) a second time to catch a few things overlooked first time around.
Read (listened to) a second time to catch a few things overlooked first time around.
December 11, 2020
I am finding this a very difficult read. Mr. Burns spends an inordinate amount of time discussing the history around the approval of the Constitution. Boring ..... I ended up skipping it and starting with Washington's administration. But there was not much new there and I ended up getting bored to tears. I put it down but with plans to try again. Another review said it read like a college text. I couldn't agree more. Furthermore it was like reading a texts written by the professor. Those had to be the worst.
March 24, 2020
The American Experiment: The Vineyard of Liberty, The Workshop of Democracy, and The Crosswinds of Freedom by James MacGregor Burns is the most expansive text on US history that I have ever gone through. Indeed, it is a trilogy packaged in one. Usually for something like this, it takes a team of authors.
I first purchased this book back in late 2017, where it sat on a shelf until September of last year. Since then I have listened to and read this text off and on for about six months. Commuting, cleaning, and working as the narrator plays in the background, with a few bursts of intensive reading to make sure I understood a passage that caught my interest with unexpected fervidity.
The text has some flaws. There is an authorial bias which is somewhat distracting, but Burns does a great deal to keep his views in perspective. Most conservatives here will rail against the perceived liberalism of the author, but this is misplaced. He's more critical of conservative ideology and leadership, but in that regards I blame the times more than him. He's writing this text in the shadow of Nixon, the failure of Monetarism, and Iran-Contra, I hardly blame him for being harder on what he saw as conservatism at the time. I imagine if he were to revisit it now, in the wake of some thirty years, he would have a different view of the era.
Its clear that when history ran out, and the present began, that he saw a problem in modern American society and democracy. He criticizes the leadership, the parties, and the culture that he finds himself in, and calls on it to be better.
I'm highly sympathetic to that.
My issue is that the text does not always live up to the promise it sets out to provide. Burns knows some eras better than others, and seems to relish in particular turning points.
The narrative is often portrayed thematically, and thus can be a little disjointed.
Overall, I have very positive feelings towards the text, but I find it a bit flawed.
89/100
I first purchased this book back in late 2017, where it sat on a shelf until September of last year. Since then I have listened to and read this text off and on for about six months. Commuting, cleaning, and working as the narrator plays in the background, with a few bursts of intensive reading to make sure I understood a passage that caught my interest with unexpected fervidity.
The text has some flaws. There is an authorial bias which is somewhat distracting, but Burns does a great deal to keep his views in perspective. Most conservatives here will rail against the perceived liberalism of the author, but this is misplaced. He's more critical of conservative ideology and leadership, but in that regards I blame the times more than him. He's writing this text in the shadow of Nixon, the failure of Monetarism, and Iran-Contra, I hardly blame him for being harder on what he saw as conservatism at the time. I imagine if he were to revisit it now, in the wake of some thirty years, he would have a different view of the era.
Its clear that when history ran out, and the present began, that he saw a problem in modern American society and democracy. He criticizes the leadership, the parties, and the culture that he finds himself in, and calls on it to be better.
I'm highly sympathetic to that.
My issue is that the text does not always live up to the promise it sets out to provide. Burns knows some eras better than others, and seems to relish in particular turning points.
The narrative is often portrayed thematically, and thus can be a little disjointed.
Overall, I have very positive feelings towards the text, but I find it a bit flawed.
89/100
February 26, 2025
A great book on the history of the US, both the good and the bad. before the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, it was radical to declare that all men are created equal and that they are endowed with their Creator with certain unalienable rights, and there were few places that elections and freedom of religion, the press, etc., yes many people were excluded and American history has also been about those excluded groups fighting for their rights, women, people of color, LGBTQ+. MacGregor shows it all and especially in 2025, the American Experiment and the continued fight to expand and preserve these rights has never been more important.
July 28, 2021
If one never looks at another American history, this might be the one. Burns delves deeply enough to consider most every stage of the American story, coming close to being exhaustive without exhausting the reader/listener. The resulting tapestry has the strength one would expect from a work done with such craft. It was interesting enough that I went through the entire approximate 80 hours in four distinct stretches that never became a burden.
October 7, 2021
This shouldn't be considered a history. It is an individual author putting forth his opinions and claiming they are fact. Some errors in it are so egregious that I wonder if they are intentional or through ignorance. Either way is not a good look for the author. It makes me wonder what sort of research the author did when he relies on journalist's comments from a century after the time in question for his commentary. Chosen just because it fit the author's personal bias?
Not recommended.
Not recommended.
October 30, 2022
It took me over 10 years reading here and there to finish this 3 volume collection of American history but it was well worth the effort. These cover events I never knew of to those through the 1980’s with many insights of events that steered the major happenings.
May 12, 2025
A comprehensive history of the United States from the Revolution to Reagan. It is told in three separate books.
I learned a lot and I have to admit I enjoyed the early parts better than the ones I lived in.
I highly recommend these books.
I learned a lot and I have to admit I enjoyed the early parts better than the ones I lived in.
I highly recommend these books.
February 19, 2019
Well done. Lots of facts and data. If you are into history must read
October 24, 2019
Glad I read it, but dear lord, it is long.
June 9, 2021
This was interesting but much too long to hold my attention.
December 30, 2014
What a sweeping look at the American experience from presidents to fads to pop culture. This was a very engaging read for such a long discourse on the people and events that made the US.
August 1, 2015
wow, what an epic book.
December 29, 2014
great history book.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews