American Dreams: The United States Since 1945

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American Dreams: The United States Since 1945

by H.W. Brands

4.09 · rating details · 32 ratings · 13 reviews

From bestselling historian H. W. Brands, an incisive chronicle of the events and trends that guided-and sometimes misguided-our nation from the A-bomb to the iPhone.

For a brief, bright moment in 1945, America stood at its apex, looking back on victory not only against the Axis powers but against the Great Depression, and looking ahead to seemingly limitless power and pr...moreFrom bestselling historian H. W. Brands, an incisive chronicle of the events and trends that guided-and sometimes misguided-our nation from the A-bomb to the iPhone.

For a brief, bright moment in 1945, America stood at its apex, looking back on victory not only against the Axis powers but against the Great Depression, and looking ahead to seemingly limitless power and promise. What we've done with that power and promise over the past six decades is a vitally important and fascinating topic that has rarely been tackled in one volume, and never by a historian of H. W. Brands's stature.

As American Dreams opens, Brands shows us a country dramatically different from our own-more unequal in social terms but more equal economically, more religious and rural but also more liberal and more wholeheartedly engaged with the rest of the world. As he traces the changes we have gone through as a nation, he reveals the great themes and dreams that have driven America-the rising focus on individual rights and pleasures, the growing distance between our global goals and those of the rest of the world, and the inexorable dissolution of a shared sense of what it means to be American. In Brands's adroit hands, these trends unfold through a character-driven narrative that sheds brilliant light on the obvious highs and lows-from Watergate to the Berlin Wall, from Apollo 11 to 9/11, from My Lai to shock and awe. But he also chronicles the surprising impact of less celebrated events and trends. Through his eyes, we realize the sweeping significance of the immigration reforms of the 1960s, which gradually transformed American society. We come to grasp the vast impact of abandoning the gold standard in 1971, which enabled both globalization and the current financial crisis. We ponder the unnerving results of CNN's debut in 1979, which sped up the news cycle and permanently changed our foreign policy by putting its effects live on our TV screens.

Blending political and cultural history with his keen sense of the spirit of the times, Brands captures the national experience through the last six decades and reveals the still-unfolding legacy of dreams born out of a global cataclysm.(less)

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published May 27th 2010 by Penguin Press HC, The (first published October 11th 2009)

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Jan 21, 2012

Kelly rated it

Shelves: military-history

Great book for those whose high school and college history classes only seemed to have enough time in the semester to cover some period between Cromagnon times and maybe World War I or II. I remember being frustrated knowing the final semester was nearing the end and we'd only scratched the surface on some of the fascinating chapters in the modern history of America's long existence. America's life story is one full of so many triumphs, yet we only seem to hear about the tragedies so I was reall...moreGreat book for those whose high school and college history classes only seemed to have enough time in the semester to cover some period between Cromagnon times and maybe World War I or II. I remember being frustrated knowing the final semester was nearing the end and we'd only scratched the surface on some of the fascinating chapters in the modern history of America's long existence. America's life story is one full of so many triumphs, yet we only seem to hear about the tragedies so I was really hungry for an unbiased account of our nation's history. This book covers those moments beautifully...right up until the final chapters dealing with the Iraq war. This is where political bias by the author starts creeping in. I was hoping to read a thoroughly unbiased history of the American people in modern times and I think the author tried hard to do this, but the bias started rearing in the Reagan years and didn't let up until the close of the book.

Whether a fan of Reagan or not, everyone seems to remember one of history's most glorious moments in history as being the moment Reagan demanded, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall!" That moment was glossed over and almost lost in a rushed synopsis of the end of Reagan's term. I was reading along avidly over many presidencies and their fight against communism. You'd have thought the author would have made a stronger statement about that defining moment when the efforts to end the Cold War came to culmination.

I understand the Iraq war is very difficult to write about at this point in our history - too soon, too charged, too political. This is where the author would have been better served to recount the facts and be sure and speak to historians on both sides of the political spectrum. A discussion with a Republican historian could have told him that "Neo-Conservative" is a buzzword that does not apply to modern Conservatives other than when used as an insult and is considered downright offensive to many considering the definition of such is a "left-leaning Conservative". A small political faction in today's society is using that word in a derogatory sense towards modern Conservatives, though a Conservative would never refer to themselves as such. The words of a small faction shouldn't be used to label a large group of people, though a discussion about the heated politics of the modern age might have been appreciated showing the fierce infighting in parties and the organizing of labels in the modern age - liberals, conservatives, progressives, Tea Party, etc. for example. I would have preferred to read a little less bias in this regard without the mislabels. Still, Brands is no Howard Zinn, thankfully, and his recounting of events up to the 80's is pretty accurate and fairly slanted.

Overall, it was a good read, though, and I would recommend it with an advisory to read the other side of the story on the Iraq war. I have honestly read both viewpoints and can't provide a black or white answer as to whether the actions of George W. Bush were correct or not "at this juncture". A wise historian, at this period in our history, would be careful not to judge the story until the book is finished. Communism is a book we can successfully judge. We are not at that point, yet, with terrorism and modern wars. We successfully have stayed a free nation, avoiding Communist forms of government by being aggressive. However, there have also been periods in time where our aggressiveness has backfired. History will be the judge and enough time does not appear to have elapsed yet, nor do we have a crystal ball to look back and see what America's non-intervention would have cost or gained us. Also, be warned that there are small jumps in chronology that add some slight discontinuity in events. After you get used to the author's style, you don't notice it as much. Brands is an engaging writer who provides a terrific narration of American history.

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Oct 31, 2010

Robert rated it

An excellent synopsis of the persuasions, motivations and influences of the people of the United States since the dawn of the nuclear age to date. An essential read for any American wanting to further their understanding of the paradox of what has caused America's political policies to swing in the face of facism, communism, civil rights, human rights, globalization and terrorism. This book picks up where most American history classes leave off for lack of time. Every young American ought to ...more

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Mar 28, 2011

Dana rated it

I am giving this book top rating - it met my expectations. I read it in only a week which is pretty fast for me. The author does an impressive job of covering a LOT of historical material in less than 400 pages and explaining it in a way that even I could understand (most of it.) I was interested in the other public Goodreads reviews. One woman stated she thought the author leaned right for spending more time on the Lewinsky scandal than the Iran/Contra affair. I didn't even notice that - a...more

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Jul 20, 2011

Tim rated it

Brands' history of America after 1945 is chronological and episodic, providing short forays into political, social, and cultural history, liberal with first person quotation. It is not revolutionary in its attitudes, but offers serious critiques of all the presidents (especially on foreign policy), ending in 2010. The book reads like an engaging lecture series (a positive for me) - easy to follow and as fun as America after 1945 can be.

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Oct 14, 2010

Leilani rated it

Shelves: history

A concise, clearly-written overview of American history since World War II. Brands covers a lot of material, but his text remains engaging throughout. Occasionally he seems to linger on the conservative reactions to events, but for the most part the text seems balanced and tough on both parties when it's called for. I found the sections on the 70s and 80s most valuable; the earlier material was more familiar from other sources, and the 90s felt sort of haphazard - too recent for the same sort...more

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Nov 21, 2011

Craig rated it

Shelves: 20th-century-american-history

As someone who has read many of Dr. Brands books and had the pleasure of hearing him speak several times in person, I can personally attest that there is no better story-telling historian around. And that story-telling skill is shown magnificently in this book, which should replace classroom textbooks for any 'History of the U.S. since 1945' type of college or high school history class.

At times you think Brands can't possibly cover an important topic (origins of the Cold War, assass...more

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Jun 27, 2010

Lauren Albert rated it

Shelves: history-american

This read, to me, like a college textbook overview of American History after 1945. Hits all the main events but rather superficially. I also felt some political bias (he spends more time on Monica Lewinsky than on the Iran Contra scandal). But a basically decent overview for someone who has forgotten their high school history classes.

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Sep 01, 2010

jillian rated it

This book was brilliant: detailed, well researched, politically neutral, and easy to follow as a narrative. Plus, it has witty titles like "Mild About Harry" (Truman. Duh). An excellent summary of America in the post-war era.

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Nov 27, 2010

Andrew rated it

Shelves: history

I thought this would be more thematically arranged, but it's in essence a history book of 'modern' America - the last 65 years. Highly readable...

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Jan 14, 2011

Greg Boyle rated it

A decent review of crucial events from 1945 to the present. It hit the major topics and is a decent overview.

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Sep 14, 2010

Sarialp7 rated it

I think it is hard to give a certain score for this kind of book. I liked it. It was easy to read even though it was boring time to time. I learned a lot about American near history by reading "American Dreams".

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Aug 04, 2010

John rated it

A very readable breeze through recent history that conveys the self-satisfying feeling of a one-credit college seminar, if not considerable distress from the recollection that America's foreign policies since 1945 have been abysmal.

Afterward comes the knowing dread that they were even worse before that time. Happily you'll be on to another book by then.

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Dec 15, 2011

Cjlouis rated it

· review of another edition

I really loved reading this book, even though it was an American History book. It was well organized, clear and easy to read. At the same time it is offering historical knowledge, it is a fun readable story that makes sense.

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Feb 09, 2012

Josh is currently reading it · review of another edition

Shelves: american-history, read-for-school

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About H.W. Brands

Henry William Brands was born in Portland, Oregon, where he lived until he went to California for college. He attended Stanford University and studied history and mathematics. After graduating he became a traveling salesman, with a territory that spanned the West from the Pacific to Colorado. His wanderlust diminished after several trips across the Great Basin, and he turned to sales of a differen...moreHenry William Brands was born in Portland, Oregon, where he lived until he went to California for college. He attended Stanford University and studied history and mathematics. After graduating he became a traveling salesman, with a territory that spanned the West from the Pacific to Colorado. His wanderlust diminished after several trips across the Great Basin, and he turned to sales of a different sort, namely teaching. For nine years he taught mathematics and history in high school and community college. Meanwhile he resumed his formal education, earning graduate degrees in mathematics and history, concluding with a doctorate in history from the University of Texas at Austin. He worked as an oral historian at the University of Texas Law School for a year, then became a visiting professor of history at Vanderbilt University. In 1987 he joined the history faculty at Texas A&M University, where he taught for seventeen years. In 2005 he returned to the University of Texas, where he is the Dickson Allen Anderson Centennial Professor of History and Professor of Government. ~ He has written twenty-two books, coauthored or edited five others, and published dozens of articles and scores of reviews. His books include Traitor to His Class, The Money Men, Andrew Jackson, The Age of Gold, The First American, TR, The Strange Death of American Liberalism, What America Owes the World, and The Devil We Knew. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, the Boston Globe, the Atlantic Monthly, the Smithsonian, the National Interest, the American Historical Review, the Journal of American History, the Political Science Quarterly, American History, and many other newspapers, magazines and journals. ~ His writings have received critical and popular acclaim. The First American was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the Los Angeles Times Prize, as well as a New York Times bestseller. The Age of Gold was a Washington Post Best Book of 2002 and a San Francisco Chronicle bestseller. Andrew Jackson was a Chicago Tribune Best Book of 2005 and a Washington Post bestseller. What America Owes the World was a finalist for the Lionel Gelber Prize in international affairs. The Wages of Globalism was a Choice Outstanding Academic Book winner. Lone Star Nation won the Deolece Parmelee Award. ~ He is a member of various honorary societies, including the Society of American Historians and the Philosophical Society of Texas. He is a regular guest on national radio and television programs, and is frequently interviewed by the American and foreign press. His writings have been published in several countries and translated into German, French, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.(less)

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