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Great Minds of History
The great historians of our day take you on an exhilarating tourthrough the crucial moments in American history . . .
"Easy reading and very informative."- Civil War News
"All the interviews are fascinating."- Tampa Tribune-Times
"Fascinating . . . Highly recommended."-Library Journal AmericanHeritage Great Minds of History
In a series of interviews that are as valuable as they areengrossing, today's best and brightest historians weigh in on thecrucial moments in American history. Whether it's the FirstContinental Congress or the Cold War, American Heritage Great Mindsof History takes you there, imbuing the past with an immediacy thatgoes well beyond the scope of formal histories.
Conducted by Roger Mudd, the highly respected news commentator andanchor for the History Channel, this collection shares thefascinating insights and rare anecdotes of: Gordon Wood on theColonial era and the American Revolution; James McPherson on theCivil War and Reconstruction; Richard White on westward expansion;David McCullough on the early twentieth century; and StephenAmbrose on World War II and the postwar era.
American Heritage magazine, the country's leading magazine ofhistory, has published dozens of highly acclaimed books, includingAmerican Heritage History of the United States, American HeritageNew History of the Civil War, American Heritage New History ofWorld War II, American Heritage Dictionary of American Quotations,and American Heritage Encyclopedia of American History.
"Easy reading and very informative."- Civil War News
"All the interviews are fascinating."- Tampa Tribune-Times
"Fascinating . . . Highly recommended."-Library Journal AmericanHeritage Great Minds of History
In a series of interviews that are as valuable as they areengrossing, today's best and brightest historians weigh in on thecrucial moments in American history. Whether it's the FirstContinental Congress or the Cold War, American Heritage Great Mindsof History takes you there, imbuing the past with an immediacy thatgoes well beyond the scope of formal histories.
Conducted by Roger Mudd, the highly respected news commentator andanchor for the History Channel, this collection shares thefascinating insights and rare anecdotes of: Gordon Wood on theColonial era and the American Revolution; James McPherson on theCivil War and Reconstruction; Richard White on westward expansion;David McCullough on the early twentieth century; and StephenAmbrose on World War II and the postwar era.
American Heritage magazine, the country's leading magazine ofhistory, has published dozens of highly acclaimed books, includingAmerican Heritage History of the United States, American HeritageNew History of the Civil War, American Heritage New History ofWorld War II, American Heritage Dictionary of American Quotations,and American Heritage Encyclopedia of American History.
- GenresAmerican History
241 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 8, 2020
Published in 1999 by Wiley and Sons.
Roger Mudd, formerly of CBS and NBC news, interviewed five historians about their special topics of expertise. They are all solid interviews that allow the historians to tell why their topics are important. Mudd does a great job of letting the interviews flow along a natural conversational path, but he does interrupt with questions that ask for clarification or challenge a point.
The historians are: Gordon Wood discussing the American Revolution; James McPherson discussing the Civil War; Richard White discussing Westward Expansion; David McCullough discussing the Industrial Era; and Stephen Ambrose discussing World War II/Eisenhower/Nixon.
This was a lot like sitting down with a talented professor in a coffee shop and letting him/her go on about their favorite topic. They weren't lectures, but more like a conversation. I know the work of four of these five historians and have read quite a bit of McCullough, Ambrose and McPherson.
McPherson is my favorite of these three since he and I share a deep interest in the Civil War. I was surprised to learn that he came to study the Civil War later than I thought. McCullough's interview is interesting because of his wide-ranging interests. He discussed the Industrial Era, but he has done a lot of work outside of that time as well, including a great biography of Truman and a history of just the year 1776 during the American Revolution. Ambrose's interview very much felt like my previous impressions of Ambrose - great historian, occasionally a prickly personality.
I rate this book 5 stars out of 5. Very enjoyable read.
https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2020...
Roger Mudd, formerly of CBS and NBC news, interviewed five historians about their special topics of expertise. They are all solid interviews that allow the historians to tell why their topics are important. Mudd does a great job of letting the interviews flow along a natural conversational path, but he does interrupt with questions that ask for clarification or challenge a point.
The historians are: Gordon Wood discussing the American Revolution; James McPherson discussing the Civil War; Richard White discussing Westward Expansion; David McCullough discussing the Industrial Era; and Stephen Ambrose discussing World War II/Eisenhower/Nixon.
This was a lot like sitting down with a talented professor in a coffee shop and letting him/her go on about their favorite topic. They weren't lectures, but more like a conversation. I know the work of four of these five historians and have read quite a bit of McCullough, Ambrose and McPherson.
McPherson is my favorite of these three since he and I share a deep interest in the Civil War. I was surprised to learn that he came to study the Civil War later than I thought. McCullough's interview is interesting because of his wide-ranging interests. He discussed the Industrial Era, but he has done a lot of work outside of that time as well, including a great biography of Truman and a history of just the year 1776 during the American Revolution. Ambrose's interview very much felt like my previous impressions of Ambrose - great historian, occasionally a prickly personality.
I rate this book 5 stars out of 5. Very enjoyable read.
https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2020...
September 16, 2009
Academic historians tend to favor their colleagues who can unearth an element, no matter how minute, that casts a particular event or era in a new light. For the rest of us, these "narrative historians, are just fine.
Roger Mudd takes five of our best historians through their paces. His questions provoke a great deal of illumination of places and events key to American history and he elicits what makes each of them so enthusiastic about their life's work.
Easy to read in short bursts but compelling throughout.
Roger Mudd takes five of our best historians through their paces. His questions provoke a great deal of illumination of places and events key to American history and he elicits what makes each of them so enthusiastic about their life's work.
Easy to read in short bursts but compelling throughout.
March 20, 2021
This book is a series of interviews, and I do not like reading interviews. I find them tedious. I would rather just watch or listen to the interviews.
In addition, Richard Snow asked in the Introduction why anyone should read this book instead of the authors' books. He concluded that you should read this book and the authors' books. I think that I would be better off just reading the authors' books!
In addition, Richard Snow asked in the Introduction why anyone should read this book instead of the authors' books. He concluded that you should read this book and the authors' books. I think that I would be better off just reading the authors' books!
July 16, 2014
Great easy book to read. The interview Q&A format is wonderful for being able to pick up and put down whenever - not that you'll want to ever put this one down. For anyone with a mild interest in history, these experts give you incredible insight into the real personalities of some of American histories most interesting characters.
April 11, 2017
I enjoyed the interviews with different historians, learned a great deal with this question to answer type of model, even though it was in snippets, it showed a greater historical context covering topics like the American Revolution, Civil War, World War II, Westernization and American exceptionalism, industrialization, presidents like Nixon, Eisenhower, Teddy, etc.. There is individual events and more books I want to read because of this one. History is not a God-eye's views and it showed the perspective of some of the great historians we have today.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews