100 Turning Points in American History

by Alan Axelrod author of How America Won World War I

Arnold J. Toynbee, the most famous professional historian of the twentieth century, is widely quoted as having declared that “History is just one damn thing after another.” This book argues that history is not about “things” at all but is all about turning points—the decisions, acts, innovations, errors, ideas, successes, and failures on which the shape of a nation’s life—our lives—depends. It presents the 100 points at which America’s path decisively turned on its way to where we find ourselves today.

Columbus arrives in the New World

● The first slaves arrive in America

● Independence is declared

● Female suffragists meet in Seneca Falls

● Fort Sumter falls

● A transcontinental railroad is completed

● Edison lights his first electric lamp

● FDR offers a “New Deal”

● The B-29 Enola Gay drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima

● Neil Armstrong sets foot on the moon

● President Nixon creates the EPA

● 9/11 … Obama … Sandy Hook … Russian election “meddling” … the Age of Trump …

These and many more are the crucial “plot points” in our grand national story, and best-selling historian Alan Axelrod presents them here.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History

392 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2021

Reviews

[Tony Laplume · Rating 3 out of 5]

His myopic obsession with the last hundred years (half the book covers this period) becomes a real problem when he diverges completely from an objective pretext in the final selections. I’m sure he’s been very pleased with the prospects for a new edition since the most recent presidential election.

[Vanessa Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. While it's true these are essentially just quick hits about each of the 100 events, I felt it was informative and well-researched. The closer to present day we got, the more the author tiptoed into making the book more political, which is the reason this wasn't a 5 star for me.

I made note of a few things I want to read more comprehensive books on, and that's a win for me! It would have been helpful in the audiobook if the events were numbered.

[Robert G. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too shallow to have any depth

A quick read of 200 years of history does a disservice to the complexities and subtleties of actual events.

Relying on this book as the “Cliffs Notes” of American History leaves one poorly prepared for the “final exam” of maintaining a functional democracy.

[Bruce Steinheiser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Political rag from a leftist author

Every segment of the book has a left leaning view of history. I give it two stars only because the author was able to get the dates correct and had relatively few spelling issues

[Thomas Orsini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely informative, hopefully will help me in APUSH

[Mark Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definite left-leaning narrative in the telling of current events especially. Overall, very informative and easy to read given the short 2-4 page chapters for each “turning point”.