The American Reader: Words That Moved a Nation

by Diane Ravitch

The American Reader is a stirring and memorable anthology that captures the many facets of American culture and history in prose and verse. The 200 poems, speeches, songs, essays, letters, and documents were chosen both for their readability and for their significance. These are the words that have inspired, enraged, delighted, chastened, and comforted Americans in days gone by. Gathered here are the writings that illuminate—with wit, eloquence, and sometimes sharp words—significant aspects of national conciousness. They reflect the part that all Americans—black and white, native born and immigrant, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American, poor and wealthy—have played in creating the nation's character.

Genres: History, Reference, Nonfiction, American History, Short Stories, School, Essays

656 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1990

About the author

Diane Ravitch is a Research Professor of Education at New York University, a historian of education, and a research professor at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. She is the Founder and President of the Network for Public Education.
She was U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education from 1991-93.
She was married to Richard Ravitch from 1960 until they divorced in 1986.
She married Mary Butz in 2012.
Aside from her many books on education history and policy, Ravitch writes for The New York Review of Books and maintains an influential blog on education.

Reviews

[Tina Wright]

Moving. Thought-provoking. Inspiring. You'll be familiar with much of this book's content, but it's all essential reading, and beautifully combined in this collection.

[Stefanie]

A great read. I wish there was a current addition to add the 90’s and 2000’s!

[Judy]

A must for everyone’s library. Songs, poems, speeches, essays from the Mayflower Compact to Reagan’s ‘Tear down your wall’ speech.

[Lenae]

I had to read for my ap us history class :(

[Richard Subber]

This isn't exactly a "can't put it down" kind of book, but it's eminently readable, especially in short takes -- f'rinstance, it's a great bathroom book.
There is so much you'll recognize because you know about it, not because you've already read it. You recognize Patrick Henry's "give me liberty or give me death" speech. Diane Ravitch has selected his speech to the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775. This is your chance to read the fullness of his thinking.
Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address is wrenching stuff, still. Try W. E. B Du Bois' "Advice to a Black Schoolgirl" (1905). JFK's "Speech at the Berlin Wall." Bob Dylan, "Blowin' in the Wind."
Admit it. You've always intended to read some of this stuff.
Here's your chance.
Read more of my book reviews here
http://richardsubber.com/

[Beth]

Every parent (in America) should have this book on the shelf, it is an invaluable asset for your kids history classes. I wish it had been around when I was in middle and High School. it includes not only mandatory reading such at the Declaration of Independence and Inaugural addresses, but collateral period reading such as origins and words of some songs. chief Logan's speech, some period writing excerpts, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self Reliance" and letters from John and Abigail Adams. Just a good all round reader for American History!

[Muhammad Yousef]

إذا أعجبك هذا الكتاب فعليك حقاً أن نقرأ كتاب (أفضل القصة القصيرة الأمريكية في القرن العشرين) تحرير (جون أبديك) فكتابنا هذا يريك مدى التطور الفكري الأمريكي في الحقل السياسي الاجتماعي أما القصص المنشورة في جرائدة اليومية تريك التطور الفكري الاجتماعي الذاتي أنصحكم بشدة قراءة هذين الكتابين لكي تكون لك بداية إطلاع على الأفكار الأمريكية وكيف تطورت فكرة (الحلم الأمريكي) (the american dream) في القرن العشرين

[Heather]

I really like this little collection. It has speeches from all the important historical figures that you can think of that have had an impact on the U.S. Even though it could have included more, I still enjoyed it and I like having it as a reference.

[Sebastian Cosgrove]

Excellent collections of some the best American speeches ever written

[Jennie McStotts]

I'm only including this in craft-deming because it has Civil Disobedience in it and I already own it. :)

[Robert]

1990 Ed.

[Michela Byrne]

primary source readings...best way to learn about history