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What is America?: A Short History of the New World Order
In the six years since 9/11, as the bush regime has squandered domestic solidarity and international goodwill, many of the archetypes and ideals with which we of America can be traced to the foundations of our history-literally to the collision of worlds that began in 1492, as one civilization subsumed another-and exploring how these currents continue to shape our world.
Hardcover, 384 pages
Published
September 2nd 2008
by Da Capo Press
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In this brilliant, insightful, revealing study British-born novelist, historian and essayist Ronald Wright (who participated in the 2004 CBC Massey Lectures series with A Short History of Progress) explains "how America is more truly American than we know: a uniquely vigorous and rapacious organism arising from the conquest that began with Columbus and begot the modern age ... Although the United States regards itself as the most advanced country on Earth, Ronald Wright reveals how it is al...more
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In fourteen hundred and ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue......... Along with this little ditty we were given a narrative for the "founding" of the America's that has little to do with reality. Ronald Wright spends his time revealing the history of the America's, the impact of the European invasion and how the wealth discovered in the America's has created an empire culture in our neighbours to the South. And to be sure Canada does not escape as the good guy in all this. W...more
How did America, transform from a frontier country to the lone super power in just over two centuries? How do America’s claims to be the most modern and democratic country in the world, stand up to scrutiny whilst Middle America – The Backwoods America – remains the stronghold for the religious right?
In ‘What is America’, Wright traces the origins of America back to its original Indigenous Americans – the great Aztec and Incas civilizations. Wright explains that these empires were no...more
In ‘What is America’, Wright traces the origins of America back to its original Indigenous Americans – the great Aztec and Incas civilizations. Wright explains that these empires were no...more
In 'What is America?' Ronald Wright (one of the most under-rated contemporary non-fiction authors around IMHO) traces the development of what we now call 'America'. What sets Wright apart is his linking America's violent colonial past with its imperialistic present. Ronald Wright's view can be summed up in the adage, 'those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it'. Kind of like his other book, 'A short history of Progress' but specially tailored to the U.S.
And unlike m...more
And unlike m...more
A good but not great book. His concept of a Colombian Age for the Europeans based on the influx of New World wealth and resources is well founded. Adopting the frontier thesis uncritically he posits a Roman type American Empire until the post WWII era from whence American foreign policy shifted to an Aztec type client states empire. The more interesting writing centered on his tracing of Puritan type thought and missionary zeal from the Plymouth to Jackson to McCarthy to Bush. In opposition he s...more
Great at showing all of the hypocrisies, misdeeds, and paranoia of the United States. What he does do well is show how all of these negative traits have been with us all along, as part of our national psyche, and recent manifestations such as the War on Terror are not coming out of left-field.
He does this in a very interesting and insightful way, making striking juxtapositions and connections across time.
On the other hand, as to the title's question, Wright only provides half the answ...more
He does this in a very interesting and insightful way, making striking juxtapositions and connections across time.
On the other hand, as to the title's question, Wright only provides half the answ...more
This is a very well-defended, brief history of the Columbian Age in human history. Granted Wright argues from a progressive point of view, what I like most about his book is the bibliography. He uses books from a wide-range of fiction and non-fiction authors throughout the 20th century.
In the echo chamber of partisan politics, what are commonly used for citations are news articles and web sites. Books have permanence and more authority in my opinion.
The only negative of t...more
In the echo chamber of partisan politics, what are commonly used for citations are news articles and web sites. Books have permanence and more authority in my opinion.
The only negative of t...more
It's been a while since I read this one, but it had a profound effect upon me. It has influenced much of the way I've been looking on the ever-lengthening 21st century, and on the way I've been consuming past centuries...especially when I'm considering history lecture materials for my senior classes. This is one of the easiest-to-read politico-historical-philosophical epics you are every likely to read.
Very interesting. The author's thesis is that the world today is a culmination of attitudes that are a result of the conquest of the Americas 500 years ago, that the 'goldrush' mentality has shaped history since then, but is on the verge of destroying it now.
There isn't much in here that is new. Wright makes the point himself that other writers (Marx among them)have set out all of the major points. The value of the book is the way that they have been assembled and the perspective that he ...more
There isn't much in here that is new. Wright makes the point himself that other writers (Marx among them)have set out all of the major points. The value of the book is the way that they have been assembled and the perspective that he ...more
I don't read often non-fiction. But this one was quite a good one. A new look on America's past, present and future. Ronald Wright has this hability to make us think and rethink. A must-read for non-fiction lovers.
Basically argues that America has been an imperial power from the very start, but also full of other fun factoids. Did you know there have been THREE Mormon wars in America's history? Awesome.
If you can get past the accounts of all the Indian wars (extremely depressing reading), this provides some interesting theories on why the US does what it does, particularly in relation to foreign policy. A short read, but well worth it.
Marius Marsh
rated it
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone interested in the future of the world, or America's role in it. .
An excellent brief history, from an often not examined perspective, of the principles, patterns and attitudes that drive the world's dominant superpower. From this well written and concise examination it becomes clear that if we are to understand the direction that the world is going as America increasingly directs it, we need to understand the history that has brought us to our current situation. The world, and indeed American's themselves, would do well to become more aware of these ideas i...more
Scary what was left out of the history I learned at school. Then again I don't think I was really paying all that much attention in Pagano's class.
Not exactly an unbiased view...but some very interesting historical notes.
I found this highly pretentious and gratuitously anti-American.
I read this book out of a sense of curiosity and a love for some of Wright's previous work. (I read 'A Short History of Progress' in a first year history class).
I found it to be just what I was looking for - the answer to a lot of questions I had about the attitudes of 'backwoods america' and why those attitudes exist, a more thorough history on what happened (and is continuing to happen) to the natives, and a look at the gratuitous war-making of the nation over history.
H...more
I found it to be just what I was looking for - the answer to a lot of questions I had about the attitudes of 'backwoods america' and why those attitudes exist, a more thorough history on what happened (and is continuing to happen) to the natives, and a look at the gratuitous war-making of the nation over history.
H...more
A great read. Is shocking a points.
Words fail. Everyone should read it. Blew my mind with its bluntness, directness, elegance, clarity...words fail me.
This is an unusual read for me, but a library patron recommended it. It gives the reader quite a different take on our history, especially how we've treated the native population.
A masterpiece.
I found the history about the Native Americans fascinating and well written. And I enjoyed all of the literary references.
If you need to capture what America (beyond what the media tells you) is you need to look no further than reading this book.
Ronald Wright is a great story teller and ranges from North to South America in this synopsis of American history. He focuses on the stories rather than the facts, although the book is very well researched. He is a philosopher rather than a historian, and while he can be a tad didactic and anti the modern USA, his story telling makes the pages sing.
The history elements are good; the drawing of connections to modern Republican adminstations are not. Even if they are true, these criticisms are presented here in boilerplate fashion and seem more about making political commentary than drawing bona fide links to history.
Puts America's modern imperialism into context, arguing that conquest has been the foundation of America in the Columbian Age. Only to our detriment do we "opt for the fast food of the national myth instead of the sobering nourishment of history."
An interesting history of the heart, soul, and mind of the US. This was written from a liberal intolerant and biased view rather than a conservative intolerant and biased view.
A disturbing history of the United States, it fills in some of the blanks.
Christian Larsen
marked it as to-read
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Ronald Wright is a Canadian author who has written books of travel, history and fiction. His nonfiction includes the bestseller Stolen Continents, winner of the Gordon Montador Award and chosen as a book of the year by the Independent and the Sunday Times. His first novel, A Scientific Romance, won the 1997 David Higham Prize for Fiction and was chosen a book of the year by the Globe and Mail, the...more
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