Remaking America: Public Memory, Commemoration, and Patriotism in the Twentieth Century

by John Bodnar

In a compelling inquiry into public events ranging from the building of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial through ethnic community fairs to pioneer celebrations, John Bodnar explores the stories, ideas, and symbols behind American commemorations over the last century. Such forms of historical consciousness, he argues, do not necessarily preserve the past but rather address serious political matters in the present.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History

318 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Mike Rancourt]

This text has its ups and downs. I think Bodnar's definition of "public memory" is about the clearest and best one in the field, and I think this was a fantastic ground-breaking text for its time, but the frame of patriotism seems to cloud the analysis, and I join those wary of the official-vernacular dichotomy.

[Lisa]

This was a fine exploration of public memory, but doesn’t particularly interrogate power and resistance in public memory, “ethnic” memory is explored through white midwestern communities. Certainly in the time period surveyed communities of color created diverse and subversive inscriptions of public memory which are beyond the scope of this text.

[Melissa]

Really interesting ideas around public memory and the change in how patriotism is expressed over the years. A little dense at times so more difficult to read, but well written.

[Audra Slaymaker]

Read for class. A bear to read. I would not recommend it.