American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America
Recommended by: Nancy Matela
Posted in: American History
Purchase →The noted author presents the idea that North America is actually made up of eleven nations, each with its own unique historical roots dating back centuries. Endlessly fascinating, the book takes us on a journey through the history of our fractured country offering a revolutionary and revelatory take on the myriad of identities, and how the conflicts between them have shaped our past and continue to dictate our present and likely our future.
I have two very different thoughts about this book. Everything prior to the final chapter is intellectually stimulating and helpful to understand the different groups that came to settle different regions of the United States. In my opinion, the final chapter has a very different character. It basically blames the Deep South for many of our problems and wishes we could be more like Canada, which never had that demographic. In my view, this part of the book is shallow and fails to recognize how the Deep South has changed and the value of having a generally conservative region in our nation.