The Best Way to Learn the History of the United States

I did enjoy some parts of this series, but didn't really miss a treatment of the post Civil War era all that much. Eric Foner's work, I believe is one that could never be improved upon within the scope of what you refer to as the "Oxford formula."

As for the American Revolution, I too am eagerly awaiting Wood's new book, since I really enjoyed "The Radicalism of the American Revolution." I disagree with Middlekauff's notion, as well as others, such as McPhearson in "1776" who cast Washington into the role of the central figure of the American Revolution. Without him, arguably the effort would have failed, though one could argue that Louis XIV played an even more important role. Without the French, let's face it - the war would have ended quickly and much differently. And the resulting financial crisis in France after the war helped to bring about eventually the French Revolution, which cast the American struggle into a continuity of events that helped bring the United States to a world stage.

Then again, I tend to, in general, resist the idea of attributing wide ranging historical events to single personalities. Almost always, when we look deeper, there are complex causes to be found, usually bound to the will or needs of large masses of people. With all of his polemics, this is one of the ideas of Howard Zinn that really has had an enormous impact upon the way I view history.

I also came to history late in life and spent some time in grad school on a non-matriculated basis, which was a wonderful experience. I know how it feels to have regretted not coming to something you have discovered you really enjoy much later in life than you would have hoped. I may use some of the academic skills I have developed in processing some extensive family research that my grandmother left behind into a coherent publishable work. There is some amazing stuff there. But whether it happens or not, I can still probably register as a substitute teacher at some local high schools - the possibilities are endless actually.

Bill Olsen of NY 5:34PM April 17, 2010