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On This Date: From the Pilgrims to Today, Discovering America One Day at a Time
Forget what you were taught in seventh grade - Carl Cannon's ON THIS DATE takes readers down American history's back alleys and side streets.
From the arrival of the Mayflower through the 2016 election, ON THIS DATE takes readers through five hundred years of American history, choosing a vignette for each date on the calendar year. Drawing from Carl Cannon's popular RealClearPolitics Morning Note, ON THIS DATE is formatted around fascinating-and sometimes unknown-stories behind specific dates in U.S. history: How presidents reacted privately to the loss of American astronauts, what Dwight Eisenhower really thought about playing football against the great Jim Thorpe, the legal grounds for the first American divorce, and who wrote Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer-and who profited from it. In the spirit of Kenneth Davis's Don't Know Much About History and the History Channel's "10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America," ON THIS DATE offers a colorful alternative history that debunks some popular myths and celebrates America's forgotten heroes.
From the arrival of the Mayflower through the 2016 election, ON THIS DATE takes readers through five hundred years of American history, choosing a vignette for each date on the calendar year. Drawing from Carl Cannon's popular RealClearPolitics Morning Note, ON THIS DATE is formatted around fascinating-and sometimes unknown-stories behind specific dates in U.S. history: How presidents reacted privately to the loss of American astronauts, what Dwight Eisenhower really thought about playing football against the great Jim Thorpe, the legal grounds for the first American divorce, and who wrote Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer-and who profited from it. In the spirit of Kenneth Davis's Don't Know Much About History and the History Channel's "10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America," ON THIS DATE offers a colorful alternative history that debunks some popular myths and celebrates America's forgotten heroes.
448 pages, Hardcover
Published July 18, 2017
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1371 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 18, 2017
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
When I received the book in the mail, I put is aside with another stack of books I had ready to read. Then at some point I picked it up and noticed that the book has a page/ date for every day in the year! I started reading that one day's date, which of course, was already past the middle of the year, now August. So I was starting in the middle of the book, reading one page each day. I admit that I also have other books that I read daily: Our Daily Bread, This is Your Day, etc.
But ON THIS DATE is fascinating! So far, I have loved every single page, every single date, every single story or incident or revelation. I decided I could not wait the entire year to write my review and could not wait to rate this book. Hence the five stars!
When I received the book in the mail, I put is aside with another stack of books I had ready to read. Then at some point I picked it up and noticed that the book has a page/ date for every day in the year! I started reading that one day's date, which of course, was already past the middle of the year, now August. So I was starting in the middle of the book, reading one page each day. I admit that I also have other books that I read daily: Our Daily Bread, This is Your Day, etc.
But ON THIS DATE is fascinating! So far, I have loved every single page, every single date, every single story or incident or revelation. I decided I could not wait the entire year to write my review and could not wait to rate this book. Hence the five stars!
July 18, 2017
From the title you might assume that Carl M. Cannon’s ‘On This Date’ is the literary equivalent of one of those ‘Today in History’ internet sites which list, in chronological order, the major events, including the births and deaths of persons of note, which happened on that day. Happily Cannon’s book is something more than an undifferentiated register of occurrences for historical trainspotters.
Instead it somewhat resembles Denis Judd’s ‘Empire’ which rather than seeking to provide a comprehensive narrative account of the British imperial experience takes a number of key events (such as the 1800 Act of Union, the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897) and then, by placing these events in context, provides an impressionistic history of the British Empire.
What Cannon offers is a mosaic of American history from the Pilgrim Fathers to the present day comprising 366 pen portraits ranging from between roughly 400 to 1,000 words apiece which are pegged to historical events on each day of a leap year, from the appearance of New York’s first female taxicab driver, Miss Wilma K. Russey, on 1 January 1915, to 31 December 1988, when Peggy Noonan was labouring on the text of Ronald Reagan’s farewell address (which was actually delivered on 11 January 1989).
In the wrong hands this format would be a recipe for dry as dust cut-and-paste history which would add up to nothing and whilst it is the case that the format is sometimes artificially constraining the fact that it is informed by Cannon’s wide frame of reference and his ambition to present a positive image of America means that it coheres more than one has any right to expect.
The book’s full subtitle is ‘From the Pilgrims to Today, Discovering America One Day At A Time’ and this is indeed a book best dipped into or read one entry per day. At the end of that process the reader will have been entertained and picked up some interesting information but whether their faith in the American dream will have been revived depends, I fear, on forces far removed from Cannon’s vignettes.
Instead it somewhat resembles Denis Judd’s ‘Empire’ which rather than seeking to provide a comprehensive narrative account of the British imperial experience takes a number of key events (such as the 1800 Act of Union, the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897) and then, by placing these events in context, provides an impressionistic history of the British Empire.
What Cannon offers is a mosaic of American history from the Pilgrim Fathers to the present day comprising 366 pen portraits ranging from between roughly 400 to 1,000 words apiece which are pegged to historical events on each day of a leap year, from the appearance of New York’s first female taxicab driver, Miss Wilma K. Russey, on 1 January 1915, to 31 December 1988, when Peggy Noonan was labouring on the text of Ronald Reagan’s farewell address (which was actually delivered on 11 January 1989).
In the wrong hands this format would be a recipe for dry as dust cut-and-paste history which would add up to nothing and whilst it is the case that the format is sometimes artificially constraining the fact that it is informed by Cannon’s wide frame of reference and his ambition to present a positive image of America means that it coheres more than one has any right to expect.
The book’s full subtitle is ‘From the Pilgrims to Today, Discovering America One Day At A Time’ and this is indeed a book best dipped into or read one entry per day. At the end of that process the reader will have been entertained and picked up some interesting information but whether their faith in the American dream will have been revived depends, I fear, on forces far removed from Cannon’s vignettes.
July 21, 2017
After an intriguing and thought-provoking intro, the book moves to one usually-long-forgotten historical anecdote a day, much more interesting than any one-small-page calendar. Some are more or less expected, even if the particular date wasn’t known, but the fun is in the topics that would usually have no right being in a serious history tome.
Some of my faves. . . okay, a lot of my faves:
March of Dimes (Wow!); Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer; Tokyo Rose; Lou Hoover; Edmund G Ross; Oppenheimer; Massacre on the Tuscarawas; Sherman and Johnston; Columbine; Jingle Bells; the low-altitude barrel roll in a 707; the birth of the Smiley; We Shall Overcome; Marshall wins Nobel Peace Prize; Jack Robinson and Pee Wee Reese (“someone with the guts NOT to fight back.”); Carson McCullers, Karen Blixen, and Marilyn Monroe walk into a lunch; Theodore Geisel (“He was a political cartoonist all his life, meaning he managed the difficult task of being amusing to kids and adults.”); Princess Bride (even Mark Knopfler gets a mention!); and “Surf music is just the sound of the waves being played on a guitar.”
Did not expect the author of a non-fiction history book to go meta, but in one entry he writes about Philadelphians booing their cricket team as a reason the capital was moved to DC. . . then, “Well, no, I was just seeing if you were paying attention.”
Some of my faves. . . okay, a lot of my faves:
March of Dimes (Wow!); Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer; Tokyo Rose; Lou Hoover; Edmund G Ross; Oppenheimer; Massacre on the Tuscarawas; Sherman and Johnston; Columbine; Jingle Bells; the low-altitude barrel roll in a 707; the birth of the Smiley; We Shall Overcome; Marshall wins Nobel Peace Prize; Jack Robinson and Pee Wee Reese (“someone with the guts NOT to fight back.”); Carson McCullers, Karen Blixen, and Marilyn Monroe walk into a lunch; Theodore Geisel (“He was a political cartoonist all his life, meaning he managed the difficult task of being amusing to kids and adults.”); Princess Bride (even Mark Knopfler gets a mention!); and “Surf music is just the sound of the waves being played on a guitar.”
Did not expect the author of a non-fiction history book to go meta, but in one entry he writes about Philadelphians booing their cricket team as a reason the capital was moved to DC. . . then, “Well, no, I was just seeing if you were paying attention.”
September 14, 2017
I felt this book was well-written and interesting, but some of the entries were confusing in that the significance of the date was lost in the text. It would have been helpful to state why each date was important at the beginning of each entry.
Also, sometimes the main point got lost amidst various other comparisons and points included in the entry.
Overall, this book was fascinating. I learned so much about various aspects of American history.
Also, sometimes the main point got lost amidst various other comparisons and points included in the entry.
Overall, this book was fascinating. I learned so much about various aspects of American history.
December 31, 2020
I can't say enough good things about this book. I don't think there was a single page I didn't learn something new from. Many of them moved me to tears.
We will, as always, strive to be that Shining City of a Hill.
We will, as always, strive to be that Shining City of a Hill.
December 31, 2022
Wow. Didn’t realize I started this book in 2018. Obviously got distracted but not due to its content. I set out this year to finish and finish it I did. A great reference book for those of us who love history.
December 31, 2024
It was fun reading a little snippet of US history every day. Many of the entries are, unsurprisingly, political, but there are plenty of cultural entries as well. The author does a decent job of not skewing too far to the right or left politically. Overall, I enjoyed and would recommend it.
August 3, 2017
This is a wonderfully exploration into important yet not always familiar History.
So informative & interesting, an education in itself.
A very pleasant read as well as a reference source 🌟
So informative & interesting, an education in itself.
A very pleasant read as well as a reference source 🌟
October 1, 2017
See my review written on Goodreads.
Read
August 4, 2022Carl M. Cannon is an unabashed fascist pretending to be a republican. I read two pages of this book and saw through his bull shit
May 8, 2023
Cool read if you enjoy history in tiny bits. Found in the bargain bin at Walmart . Absolutely worth the $3. Makes a good bathroom, coffee table, and/or nightstand read.
August 3, 2023
This is a good way to learn about interesting points of history in bite-size pieces. It's a great bathroom, nightstand, or coffee table book! If history isn't your thing, this may change that!
November 1, 2018
I received a free copy from Goodreads.
This is a miscellaneous collection of 366 anecdotes or newspapers excerpts about the US culture and history. Day after day, you'll catch a glimpse of different events. Sure thing that several such events have played a great role in the big History of the US nation and in other countries. It is easy to read thanks to the factual presentation, the author's humor and his rather short and objective comments about the events.
The selection of the subjects depends obviously on the author's preferences, but let's consider that his subjectivity has extracted a variety of events and matters fully aligned with the common culture of his country. For some days, a page is more than enough for an event with low impact or transcendence. For others, you will want to learn more and search on Wikipedia, your favorite newspaper's website or other sources.
Overall, this is all about serendipity. First you let your mind wander between all those stories about events that do not seem connected at all. But eventually you will get the full view. It is like appreciating a painting by an artist using pointillism like Georges Seurat. You need to get close to appreciate the dots and also to put some distance to see the full image, back and forth. And you will see what matters most and what contributed more to build the US culture. The most common topics will be those that define how american people see themselves and also probably how other nations see them: show business, religion, bipartisanship, heroism and the military, fight for civil rights, etc... You can see a stunning example of the massive impact of music in the entertainment industry and the contemporary culture and economy by just reading the January portion. In few pages, you learn about Betsy Cline, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Carol Channing, Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper ! I'll let you decide if it is an accurate sampling or just a hint that the author might be a big music fan...
However, for some dates, the author uses an easy trick by displaying a date which is not very relevant but helps him to count several years before and/or after the event occurred on this date. That's partially confusing and it erases some credit because what happened on this specific day is diluted with all the causes, consequences and other pieces of context.
This is a miscellaneous collection of 366 anecdotes or newspapers excerpts about the US culture and history. Day after day, you'll catch a glimpse of different events. Sure thing that several such events have played a great role in the big History of the US nation and in other countries. It is easy to read thanks to the factual presentation, the author's humor and his rather short and objective comments about the events.
The selection of the subjects depends obviously on the author's preferences, but let's consider that his subjectivity has extracted a variety of events and matters fully aligned with the common culture of his country. For some days, a page is more than enough for an event with low impact or transcendence. For others, you will want to learn more and search on Wikipedia, your favorite newspaper's website or other sources.
Overall, this is all about serendipity. First you let your mind wander between all those stories about events that do not seem connected at all. But eventually you will get the full view. It is like appreciating a painting by an artist using pointillism like Georges Seurat. You need to get close to appreciate the dots and also to put some distance to see the full image, back and forth. And you will see what matters most and what contributed more to build the US culture. The most common topics will be those that define how american people see themselves and also probably how other nations see them: show business, religion, bipartisanship, heroism and the military, fight for civil rights, etc... You can see a stunning example of the massive impact of music in the entertainment industry and the contemporary culture and economy by just reading the January portion. In few pages, you learn about Betsy Cline, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Carol Channing, Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper ! I'll let you decide if it is an accurate sampling or just a hint that the author might be a big music fan...
However, for some dates, the author uses an easy trick by displaying a date which is not very relevant but helps him to count several years before and/or after the event occurred on this date. That's partially confusing and it erases some credit because what happened on this specific day is diluted with all the causes, consequences and other pieces of context.
January 4, 2019
This is a great book for those who have an interest in American history. Each day Cannon provides tidbits ranging from the Pilgrims arrival to the New World up to the present day based on what event occurred on that particular day. There is some emphasis (meaning they've discussed more than once) on World War II, Abraham Lincoln/Civil War, Ronald Reagan, Elvis Presley, the Roosevelts, and the Pilgrims, but other rather obscure topics are also discussed such as the invention of the ice cream cone.
I read this cover to cover but it is really meant to be read an article a day during the course of a year. This book would make a great gift to amateur American historian.
I read this cover to cover but it is really meant to be read an article a day during the course of a year. This book would make a great gift to amateur American historian.
September 9, 2018
This book begins on January 1 and features an impactful moment for each calendar day, through December 31. The stories are all 1-2 pages in length and include many interesting details or events I wasn’t aware of. It was fun to flip through! My husband and I took turns saying “did you know...”. This is one to leave out on a coffee table or guest room right stand vs placed on a book shelf. I won my copy of this book in a goodreads giveaway - thank you for the copy!
July 1, 2020
I was introduced to this book by C-Span when Brian Lamb had Carl Cannon as his guest on Q&A. I bought the book and have spent a few minutes of each day for the last year reading it. Lots of familiar stories but more I did not know, making it a treasure chest for history buffs.
Four stars waxing
Four stars waxing
August 14, 2018
Excellent book!!!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews