The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People, Volume 1: To 1877

by Alan Brinkley

Known for its clear narrative voice and impeccable scholarship, Alan Brinkley's best-selling survey text invites students to think critically about the many forces that continually create the Unfinished Nation that is the United States. In a concise but wide-ranging narrative, Brinkley shows the diversity and complexity of the nation and our understanding of its history--one that continues to evolve both in the events of the present and in our reexamination of new evidence and perspectives on the past. This sixth edition features a new series of Patterns of Popular Culture essays, as well as expanded coverage of pre-Columbian America, new America in the World essays, and updated coverage of recent events and developments that demonstrates how a new generation continues to shape the American story.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Textbooks, Reference, Read For School

512 pages, Paperback

First published December 28, 1992

About the author

Alan Brinkley was an American political historian who has taught for over 20 years at Columbia University. He was the Allan Nevins Professor of History until his death. From 2003 to 2009, he was University Provost.

Reviews

[Reuben A · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title says it all. Great for brushing up on basic American History. Brinkley packs in many, but arguably not all, significant developments in a very short amount of time with plenty of suggested readings in the appendices if one should desire any deeper analysis.

While virtually impossible to tease out all bias from historical perspective, Brinkley does a very careful job of providing a balanced account of events, not transparently as he sees them, but as is contemporary consensus.

What’s more, he dedicates a moment after each chapter a brief follow-up of the evolution of these schools of thought esp regarding complex and controversial social issues.

If read correctly, this should encourage any reader to expand their understanding of conflicting viewpoints and learn to assess history less blindly and more independently.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. This was our text book for American History to 1877 and the University of North Florida. Very well written and complete.

[sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars cus that’s what i’m getting on my ap exam

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like all historians, Brinkley makes decisions about which events to present and how to present them and thus communicates his perspective. The word "Concise" in the title indicates the exigency of his choices—he means to present a bottom-line account of US history suitable to high school students, though not, perhaps, AP US History students.

Brinkley also means to create a history focused on significance, but his analysis is sometimes curious. He gives short shrift to some complicated developments, like the legacy Reconstruction for African-Americans, and long shrift to some of the old chestnuts of American history, like the Whiskey Rebellion, events that suggest more significance than, on their own, they possess. The best that can be said about his strategy is that his vision of the United States is fairly even-handed and, for the most part where appropriate, equivocal.

And it welcomes the take-off and landing sampling high school students appreciate. The narrative breaks into discreet and understandable parts, so a teacher needn't assign every word. Sidebars appear frequently--primary documents ("Consider the Source"), social history ("Patterns of Popular Culture"), and historians' disputes ("Debating the Past") offer ready resources echoing the text's interests.

The prose is serviceable. While little in the book could be described as "literary" or "evocative," it's clear and... well... concise. That concision has a price--without supplement, there may not be enough to know US History in subtle ways--but sophistication doesn't seem its aim. No history is "complete," but at least this one addresses prominent moments in its effort to be thorough.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for a college history class that I was taking.
The book was very insightful, but I thought it could have held more detail in some more pertinent ares, and left out some of the less insignificant details.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty standard history book. But it was interesting and kept me reading. (I had to read it for a class, but I would look over it again.)

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The average in history textbooks.

[Kristine Rier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read and includes the essential information. Read this as a supplement to a much larger APUSH text and found this book gave a very good overview.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good for a history textbook.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. reads just like a regular book.