America: The Last Best Hope, Volume 1: From the Age of Discovery to a World at War

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America: The Last Best Hope, Volume 1: From the Age of Discovery to a World at War

4.25 of 5 stars 4.25 · rating details · 590 ratings · 104 reviews

To resce the future, we must remember our past.

With command and wit, William J. Bennett reacquaints Americans with their heritage in an engaging narrative that cuts through the cobwebs of time, memory, and prevailing cynicism. Washington, Franklin, Lincoln, Roosevelt, and others reemerge not as marble icons or dust-dry names in a textbook, but as full-blooded, heroic pione...more To resce the future, we must remember our past.

With command and wit, William J. Bennett reacquaints Americans with their heritage in an engaging narrative that cuts through the cobwebs of time, memory, and prevailing cynicism. Washington, Franklin, Lincoln, Roosevelt, and others reemerge not as marble icons or dust-dry names in a textbook, but as full-blooded, heroic pioneers whose far-reaching vision forged a nation that attracted―that still attracts―millions yearning to breathe free. In this, the first volume of a "reasoned, balanced presentation of the American story," Bennett tells our nation's story, with all its triumphs and tragedies. He summons us to embrace America's cause once again as "the last best hope of earth."

What others are saying:

"William J. Bennett artfully and subtly makes connections between our past and current events, reminding us ... that we are intimately and immediately connected to the extraordinary Americans who have bestowed upon us our great heritage.... [T]he importance of "America: The Last Best Hope" probably exceeds anything Dr. Bennett has ever written, and it is more elegantly crafted and eminently readable than any comprehensive work of history I've read in a very long time. It's silly to compare great works of history to great novels, but this book truly is a page-turner.... Prepare to have your faith in, hope for, and love of America renewed."
-Brad Miner, American Compass

"The Role of history is to inform, inspire, and sometimes provoke us, which is why Bill Bennett's wonderfully readable book is so important. He puts our nation's triumphs, along with its lapses, into the context of a narrative about the progress of freedom. Every now and then it's useful to be reminded that we are a fortunate people, blessed with generations of leaders who repeatedly renewed the meaning of America."
-Walter Isaacson, "Benjamin Franklin: An American Life"

"For too long Americans have been looking for a history of our country that tells the story of America's triumphs as well as its tragedies. Now Bill Bennett has come forward with "America: The Last Best Hope," which tells the story-fairly and fully-from 1492 to 1914. Americans who have been reading recent biographies of the Founding Fathers will love this book."
-Michael Barone, "US News & World Report"

"Bill Bennett's book will stand as perhaps the most important addition to American scholarship at this, the start of the new century. For the past fifty years American historians have either distorted American history or reduced it to a mess of boring indictments of our cultural and political heritage. With this book Bennett offers to Americans young and old an exciting and enjoyable history of what makes America the greatest nation on earth.
-Brian Kennedy, president, The Claremont Institute(less)

Hardcover, 573 pages

Published May 23rd 2006 by Nelson Current (first published May 15th 2006)

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Mar 28, 2013 Hilmi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sejarah-amerika-syarikat

Ini merupakan sebuah ulasan buku dwi-bahasa.
This is a bilingual book review.

Buku ini merupakan sebuah buku sejarah mengenai Amerika Syarikat. Sebenarnya,buku ini merupakan jilid atau volume pertama daripada tiga buah kesemuanya. Untuk jilid pertama ini,buku ini membincangkan dari penemuan benua Amerika,Peperangan Kemerdekaan Amerika Syarikat,Perang Saudara Amerika Syarikat dan sehinggalah pada tahun 1914 apabila Perang Dunia Pertama bermula pada tahun tersebut.
Buku ini sebenarnya lebih sesuai di...more Ini merupakan sebuah ulasan buku dwi-bahasa.
This is a bilingual book review.

Buku ini merupakan sebuah buku sejarah mengenai Amerika Syarikat. Sebenarnya,buku ini merupakan jilid atau volume pertama daripada tiga buah kesemuanya. Untuk jilid pertama ini,buku ini membincangkan dari penemuan benua Amerika,Peperangan Kemerdekaan Amerika Syarikat,Perang Saudara Amerika Syarikat dan sehinggalah pada tahun 1914 apabila Perang Dunia Pertama bermula pada tahun tersebut.
Buku ini sebenarnya lebih sesuai dibaca oleh rakyat Amerika Syarikat (AS) sendiri. Malahan,penulis buku ini sendiri menyatakan (di dalam ruangan Pendahuluan/Pengenalan) bahawa buku ini ditulis untuk rakyat AS membacanya supaya dapat membina patriotisme yang tinggi terhadap negara. Jadi,adalah tidak menghairankan kenapa buku ini ditulis dengan agak 'ringkas' dan 'padat'. Buku ini bukanlah sebuah buku yang bersifat ultimate mengenai sejarah AS. Buku ini membincangkan sejarah AS secara umum atau overview. Hal ini kerana,penulis menyasarkan golongan utama pembaca bukunya adalah rakyat AS sendiri yang sudah tentu mempunyai pengetahuan sejarah yang asas mengenai negara mereka (yang mereka pelajari di sekolah dan institusi pengajian tinggi). Oleh itu,kepada para pembaca yang bukan rakyat AS,adalah molek sekiranya kita mempunyai pengetahuan yang asas mengenai sejarah AS untuk lebih memahami apa yang cuba disampaikan oleh penulis.
Dari segi bahasa,bahasa yang digunakan adalah Bahasa Inggeris Tinggi yang menyaksikan susunan ayat oleh penulis yang agak mengelirukan sedikit pembacaan saya. Tambahan pula,pengetahuan bahasa Inggeris saya yang tidak begitu baik menambahkan kerumitan saya untuk memahami maklumat yang terkandung di dalamnya. Malah,laras-laras bahasa seperti laras politik dan laras undang-undang juga memberikan kesukaran terhadapa pemahaman saya kerana wujudnya beberapa perbendaharaan kata dan istilah yang memerlukan rujukan kamus untuk memahaminya. Buku ini juga ditulis dengan format penulisan ilmiah yang mantap,umpama penulisan sebuah tesis! Namun,saya kurang bersetuju dengan format yang sedemikian rupa digunakan kerana ia mungkin akan menyukarkan para pembaca membacanya terutamanya pembaca yang bersifat layman atau tidak mempunyai pengalaman membaca buku yang cirinya terlalu ilmiah.
Ada beberapa fakta yang amat menarik dan tidak pernah saya ketahui sebelum ini terkandung di dalam buku ini. Namun,ada juga beberapa perkara yang saya tidak bersetuju. Sebagai contoh,penulis menyatakan bahawa 'Deklarasi Kemerdekaan Amerika Syarikat' merupakan dokumen perjanjian yang pertama di dunia menjaga keadilan sesama manusia. Sedangkan,'Piagam Madinah' merupakan dokumen perjanjian yang pertama sebenarnya dalam menjaga hubungan antara manusia,terutamanya antara orang Islam dan orang bukan Islam.
Namun demikian,saya tetap mengesyorkan buku ini dibaca kepada mereka yang ingin mengetahui sejarah AS secara umumnya.

This book which been written by William J. Bennett is volume one from three volumes in total. For the first volume,it covers topics such as the discovery of American continent,War of Independence,Civil War and early World War I in 1914.
This book is actually better to be read by Americans. This is because the main target of this book is for US citizens as a whole. For international readers,it is better for us to have at least a basic knowledge of United States (US) history to understand the book better. The author used general/overview perspective to present his knowledge of US history to his readers. This book is not an 'ultimate' book on US history. It is not thoroughly written with neat details.
However,this book is suitable for readers who wished to know the history of US in abbreviated form. Or,as a starting point to better understand the unique and distinctive history of the 'New World'.

(less)

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Jul 01, 2008 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Since I love history, I thouroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading volume II. It is a good, comprehensive overview, but with small details that most people are unaware of. So many times while reading I found myself saying out loud "Really?" or "Get out, I didn't know that." I kept telling my husband little details so often that he said he doesn't need to read it because I told him all about it. I would reccomend it to anyone who likes history.

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Jul 23, 2011 Jon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2011

I really enjoyed this book. It was a very good refresher of what we learned in grade school about our country's discovery, founding and subsequent early growing pains. It was written in a very non-partisan way even though Bennett is a conservative who was the Secretary of Education during the Reagan Administration. He provided lots of very interesting anectodes and trivia during this expansive first volume of a 2-book series. I learned for example the founding of the GOP term for republicans, wh...more

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May 30, 2012 Chrissy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-history

This book sets out to inspire Americans with their own history and to be an antidote to school textbooks that dredge out with tedious boredom and leave many with contempt for the subject. In this regard, this book excels amazingly. I was the kid that begrudgingly sat through school history classes and only kept enough mundane facts in my head long enough to make my A and be on with my life. The dates of the war were such and such, slavery was bad, this Columbus guy mistakenly found the place, et...more

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Jul 23, 2009 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-biography-memoir

A good, high-level look at U.S. history from the time of the arrival of the first Europeans until just before the U.S. Entry into World War I. I read it because I was never a very good student of history and have forgotten most of what I've learned. Certainly not an in-depth book, but still, enough to give me a good overview. Mr. Bennett is more conservative than I but this doesn't seem to show as much as it would in his views of more current events. His sentence structures are sometimes awkward...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Brady Wilson added it · review of another edition

A nice refresher of the early history of our great country! I can't wait to read Volume II. I really felt that it was a very fair look at all sides of historical events as the author had intended it to be. It did focus a lot on the politics and governement of our developing country as opposed to other aspects of history. To be honest that was a good aspect of our history to read about and something I believe gets skewed and forgotten all too often these days. It will be a good reference for comp...more

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Jul 15, 2010 Keith Craig rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting a jingoistic book by Dr. Bennett. What a got was a brush stroke of U.S. history with only a few comments on modern politics. I did think the remarks about modern politics were unnecessary in a history book. The reason I only gave three stars is that I have done a lot of reading about history and knew most of the things talked about in this book.

I would reccomend this for someone that does not have a lot of historical reading under their belt. That wa...more

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Jan 24, 2010 Harold rated it 5 of 5 stars

This has to be the best book of U.S. history I've read. It covers from the time of Columbus to the brink of WWI and how we arrived there. I cannot wait to read the second in this series. Dr. Bennett did a masterful job at keeping me informed and entertained at the same time. Time and again I turned to my wife saying "did you know..." This book even reaffirmed my love for this country and how blessed I feel for being a part of it. It dwells deep into the sacrifice and hard work that has brought o...more

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Apr 03, 2010 A.J. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-politics

[This is a review of chapters 1-6, or roughly half of Bennet's first volume. I selected this book for topical reasons. If and when I continue reading it, I'll extend the review.:]

One of the pleasures of reading American history in particular is that it is an amazing story. I find nearly all of history fascinating, and there are plenty of unlikely and wonderful sagas from all ages and empires of the world, but America's is perhaps the unlikeliest and most important to date.

The opening half of Ben...more [This is a review of chapters 1-6, or roughly half of Bennet's first volume. I selected this book for topical reasons. If and when I continue reading it, I'll extend the review.:]

One of the pleasures of reading American history in particular is that it is an amazing story. I find nearly all of history fascinating, and there are plenty of unlikely and wonderful sagas from all ages and empires of the world, but America's is perhaps the unlikeliest and most important to date.

The opening half of Bennet's first volume covers everything from the discovery of the New World to the Jeffersonian presidents (I wonder if there is more than one way to refer to the one-party succession we had for awhile after the collapse of the Federalists). We can dispense with the obvious right away. There's no real chance of doing an exhaustive history of America in one or even two volumes. Not only are the people and events so earthy-shakingly significant to world history, but unlike ancient history you actually begin to deal with an abundance of primary sources––letters, pamphlets, records, newspapers, books, etc. William Bennett is a decent enough writer with a decent enough vision, but if you expect more than a skim I'd sooner place my bet on getting a reality check. Still, that doesn't make this kind of account useless. One can still get the sights and sounds of the Revolutionary period and the '76 generation and have a real learning experience.

I personally enjoyed the accounts of George Washington and the Revolutionary War most out of the area I read. It isn't without reason that he was literally considered the Greatest Man in the World in his day. Here was a man who defeated the British army with next to nothing, refused a monarchy when it was dropped at his feet like a giant diamond, presided over the ratification of the Constitution, served as the first president in the great Republican Experiment, and left office willingly, turning his back on power a second time. This and other accounts of the political minds occupying such a brief space in history become a fertile ground for amazement.

Bennet doesn't try to shirk America's warts but he does try to offer needed context. It's one thing to say that slavery is and was immoral, something American should have never gotten involved with in the first place, and we'll have to deal with the repercussions forever. A five year old could tell you as much. It's another thing to realize that the choice was literally between continuing slavery or having a Union at all. As Thomas Jefferson put it, "We have a wolf by the ears, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go."

Not as powerful as the work of other popular history writers like David McCullough, but an educational use of time none the less. I hope to finish the first volume at some point, but I've never had a heavy interest in the Civil War or the Wild West, so it may be awhile.(less)

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Oct 20, 2007 Mateo rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: novices of US History

This was an extremely insightful book. Bennett's style of writing makes you wish he wrote the textbooks I had to learn from. Very thorough in his research and not one to leave out the stains that taint the fabric of this country. Is this country perfect? Of course it is not. Is any?

What really stands out in this volume are the founding fathers. Particularly Washington. In just the right amount of words, the author sets the stage for a thrilling moment. One that the world watched like no other....more This was an extremely insightful book. Bennett's style of writing makes you wish he wrote the textbooks I had to learn from. Very thorough in his research and not one to leave out the stains that taint the fabric of this country. Is this country perfect? Of course it is not. Is any?

What really stands out in this volume are the founding fathers. Particularly Washington. In just the right amount of words, the author sets the stage for a thrilling moment. One that the world watched like no other. What would General Washington do after the British signed the Treaty of Paris? Take control of the newly independent state and declare himself Ruler, Dictator, King?

"King George III had said that if Washington voluntarily gave up power, then he truly would be the greatest man on earth. Cromwell hadn't it. Napoleon would not do it. But Washington did it."

On Dec 23 1783 Washington stood before congress and surrendered into their hands the trust committed to him and retired from service. Little did he know that 6 years later his countrymen would freely him as the first President.

Another figure who stands out with such grace is Abe Lincoln. Bennett paints a portrait of a man who felt as much pain in his heart as the country felt in it's values as Civil War broke over the rights of free men, of any color.

An interesting note on Lincoln's assassin. While an entire chapter is devoted to John Wilkes Booth and his cohorts and their successful plot to murder Lincoln, Bennett markedly so, puts JWB in his rightful place in history. Maybe foreseeing that this book may end up as required reading, Bennett literally makes JWB a footnote of history by including the capture and execution of the killer as an actual footnote at the bottom the page. Quite humorous.

This book is Volume I of II and I look forward to reading the next volume. Bennett fills the 500 plus pages with stories that are all connected yet can stand on their own. From one story to the next, you can hardly wait to see what happened next in our unique history. This volume ended with a story that sets up the world we live in today: the assassination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife.
That Slavic "incident" sparked the first World War. (less)

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Aug 05, 2011 Urey Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-america

A comprehensive overview - engaging, perceptive, and informative. Excellent for the curious and the unawares - hopefully it will pique an interest in an event or an episode in American history that will induce the interested and the inquisitive to seek out more focused works. Of course, this must by read with its companion Volume 2 to get the full exposure to the tapestry that is American history.

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Aug 23, 2012 Chuck rated it 4 of 5 stars

For those who think they know the history of our country, this is a great read, filled with little tidbits of information that your high school history teacher failed to mention. It's easy reading, and Bill Bennett has a highly readable style. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am now half-way through Volume II.

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Aug 05, 2011 Jeff rated it 5 of 5 stars

Positives: This is a wonderful book written clearly and concisely. Terrific anecdotes. The book does not go into too much detail about anything, but that is not its intention. It is a survey of American history. It should be used in schools, as it is very readable (unlike school textbooks).

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Aug 06, 2011 Brett's Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

A motivational read, if you are politically conservative person. The book is intended to highlight American exceptionalism while also looking honestly at some of the darker moments of American history. I enjoyed it very much.

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Dec 16, 2008 Scotts rated it 3 of 5 stars

somewhat disappointing in that it does not make it's case as well as one might have thought. Interesting details in historical accounts that I was not previously familiar with, but a little dull.

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Dec 15, 2008 Elizabeth is currently reading it

It's history without the dullness of a history book. I love reading about the interactions between the Founding Fathers and all the difficult setbacks that were overcome in our nation's history

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Jan 11, 2011 Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars

William Bennett does a superb job of covering American history, through events and individuals and their impact. What a great way to study our nation's past and marvel at how it all connects.

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Jul 24, 2010 Jamie is currently reading it

Shelves: historical-non-fiction

I'm reading this on a kindle app on my phone. It's not my favorite format. The book, so far, is a good survey of American history. I will probably give a 4 because it can get choppy and random.

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Jul 29, 2012 Steven Richards rated it 4 of 5 stars

My favorite history books (Vol. 1 & 2) to date. I love how Dr. Bennett introduces historical figures early in the narrative, before they are typically well known by history.

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Jul 16, 2012 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. While it's not necessarily an easy read, I learned so much. I realized how much I didn't learn about US history in school. So, this was a good update. It is kind of like drinking through a fire hose in terms of all the information it gives you. So, I may read it again somewhere down the road. But, definitely one of the more engaging history books I've read with many interesting facts. I'll be reading the second volume (which covers from WWI to present) as soon as I gi...more

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May 28, 2009 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

very detailed info on the history of America. Starting from its birth to WWI, it gives incite to the inner workings of constitution, founding fathers, and government policy that has led our country to what it has become today

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Jun 18, 2011 Glenn Short rated it 5 of 5 stars

Over the years I have come to enjoy reading history. Having read biographies and books about specific events, it has been refreshing to read a book that gets to the meat of a historical event quickly enough so that you can move on to the next event. I am very comfortable with his style of narrative. It is just like storytelling in front of a warm fire. I'll admit that I put the book down for a time while I read other books. But picking it up again made me realize just how good this book really i...more

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Nov 21, 2009 Frank Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of the very best histories of the United States I've ever read. Rich in detail and superbly written. An instant classic.

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Jun 24, 2012 Dawn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent read. Very interesting and flows great. I recommend it to those who love history and those who did not.

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Dec 04, 2008 Royce rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good History of America. Has some interesting stories alongside the general history line.

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Nov 19, 2008 Eric rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: History buffs

Recommended to Eric by: Mom and Dad

This was a great history book. I love history, I just hate the anti-American slant that many history books tend to have taken nowadays. This one lays down the facts as they are! The Founding Fathers weren't perfect men. They weren't always the nicest men, and they didn't always make the best decisions, but they created this great country that has stood up for over 300 years now. That's quite an accomplishment! This book focuses on the positive lessons that can be learned from history and gives a...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Ed rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent read. Brings the history with a way to make it personally relevant and interesting.

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Mar 24, 2009 Chick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very good short course on America's history. Easy read and moves along smoothly.

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May 04, 2013 Karl Ammerman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Bill Bennett did an amazing job with this two-volume book. Educational and entertaining.

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Sep 18, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a great review of American history! I think I'll try to read this once a year just to keep familiar with the important events in our history.

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About William J. Bennett

William J. "Bill" Bennett is a politician and author who served in the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations, as chief of National Endowment for the Humanities and later Secretary of Education under Reagan, and Drug Czar under Bush. He is a nationally well-known figure of political and social conservatism and authored many books on politics, ethics, and international relations.

More about William J. Bennett...

Books by William J. Bennett

America: The Last Best Hope, Volume 2: From a World at War to the Triumph of Freedom 1914-1989

The Moral Compass: Stories for a Life's Journey

The Educated Child: A Parents Guide From Preschool Through Eighth Grade

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