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Evan | 2/15/2014
" I loved this book! Daniel Walker Howe is a superb writer and an even better historian. Honestly, I was a bit skeptical about reading this book as I thought that there wasn't much there to keep my interest. I was surely mistaken once I started reading. DWH does an excellent job of giving the reader a view of what life was like for the typical American during this time period, and doing it in an interesting way that keeps your attention and doesn't just sound like facts being rattled off to the reader. He goes into great detail about social, political, economic and religious aspects of early 19th century life, which helps put you in the mindset of someone from that time. This book will not tell you EVERYTHING there is to know about all characters involved (John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Van Buren...so on) but it will give you a very detailed highlight of their effect on our country as a result of their political careers. The only parts I found a bit stale were some of the chapters that seemed to list every type of Utopian society or religious sect that was sprouting at the time. To me that part was a bit taxing for me to get through. Still that doesn't have an effect on what I think of this book and I firmly declare this book worthy of five stars and the Pulitzer Prize that it received! "
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Jennifer | 1/29/2014
" God, I hate Andrew Jackson so much. John Quincy Adams was cooler than expected, though. "
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Mark Stephenson | 1/14/2014
" This excellent volume taught me much and left me wishing that John Quincy Adams or some American of like stature might replace Andrew Jackson on our $20 dollar bills. Surely Old Hickory's crimes against the Cherokees, Creeks and other tribes along with his fierce advocacy of slavery and many other unstatesmanlike behaviors richly deserve such an eviction. "
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Susan | 12/23/2013
" I needed to brush up on this period in history and this is a really nice read for that. Howe writes clearly and succinctly and provides varied perspectives for key issues/incidents during the period. Not a whole lot new if this is your era of study. "
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Miranda Carbaugh | 12/10/2013
" I really enjoyed learning more about the development of the temperance movement, railroad, and telegraph. Overall it was a very challenging read. "
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John | 11/18/2013
" It defies your inclination to skim a page or two. It's irresistible. "
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Dimitri | 10/17/2013
" Reflects a lifetime of reading/study - just a comprehensive treatment of the time frame and written with a definite point of view. "
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Roger | 8/31/2013
" school textbook- very good "
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Diana | 8/18/2013
" I don't know why I'm reading this. It makes me feel like I'm back in high school history class. And I don't think that's a good feeling. "
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Will Albers | 7/29/2013
" fascinating account of the truly formative years of America. not a pretty picture though and certainly not the image of history i was taught growing up. "
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Chris | 6/24/2013
" Outstanding survey. I can see why it won the Bancroft. Could beef up his treatment of religion, but you can't have everything in a survey. See helpful interview of Howe in *Historically Speaking*. "
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Alex Whalen | 10/5/2012
" This book is an absolute masterpiece, and has gone straight into my top 10 books to recommend to people who are seriously interested in understanding how and why American history has unfolded as it has. "
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Phyllis O | 8/3/2012
" A terrific overall look at America during this time. If you think Andrew Jackson was the greatest president evah, though, this may not be the book for you, unless you are willing to see him in his entirety. "
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Joshua | 8/15/2011
" Good but SO HUGE. Who has time to read the entirety of these books?! "
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Alex | 5/9/2011
" This book is an absolute masterpiece, and has gone straight into my top 10 books to recommend to people who are seriously interested in understanding how and why American history has unfolded as it has.
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Declan | 4/12/2011
" Just not as compelling as the other books in the Oxford US history series. This book is about the social and technological transformation of the US, but I found it plodding and catalog-y.
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Fred | 3/28/2011
" Better than Wilentz's mammoth history of the same period.
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Vince | 3/15/2011
" Ponderous to say the least, still the author manages to cover the years 1815-1848 in detail without becoming boring or confusing. He manages to cover key events and inter relate them. His work on Clay's last doomed campaigns and the falling apart of the Whig party is especially insightful.
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Dave | 12/25/2010
" Fantastic. The Oxford History of the US series at its best. This was a period of US history I knew very little about, so it was an informative and interesting read...all 850 pages of it.
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Paul | 11/30/2010
" Fascinating and expertly written, but a bit overlong for a casual reader of history like myself.
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Phyllis | 11/13/2010
" A terrific overall look at America during this time. If you think Andrew Jackson was the greatest president evah, though, this may not be the book for you, unless you are willing to see him in his entirety.
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