An American Primer

by Daniel J. Boorstin (Editor)

81 original documents from 1620 to 1965 present the living heritage of America

Genres: History, American History, Politics, Nonfiction, American

2 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Daniel Joseph Boorstin was a historian, professor, attorney, and writer. He was appointed twelfth Librarian of the United States Congress from 1975 until 1987.

He graduated from Tulsa's Central High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the age of 15. He graduated with highest honors from Harvard, studied at Balliol College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and earned his PhD at Yale University. He was a lawyer and a university professor at the University of Chicago for 25 years. He also served as director of the National Museum of History and Technology of the Smithsonian Institution.

His The Americans The Democratic Experience received the 1974 Pulitzer Prize in history.

Within the discipline of social theory, Boorstin’s 1961 book The Image A Guide to Pseudo-events in America is an early description of aspects of American life that were later termed hyperreality and postmodernity. In The Image, Boorstin describes shifts in American culture—mainly due to advertising—where the reproduction or simulation of an event becomes more important or "real" than the event itself. He goes on to coin the term pseudo-event which describes events or activities that serve little to no purpose other than to be reproduced through advertisements or other forms of publicity. The idea of pseudo-events closely mirrors work later done by Jean Baudrillard and Guy Debord. The work is still often used as a text in American sociology courses.

When President Gerald Ford nominated Boorstin to be Librarian of Congress, the nomination was supported by the Authors League of America but opposed by the American Library Association because Boorstin "was not a library administrator." The Senate confirmed the nomination without debate.

Boorstin died in 2004 in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Lou]

I read this book in the 1970's for a high school History class. At the time, I assumed it was accurate and informative. In these past several years, I was awakened by truths about our history, which blew my mind. Read, if you dare, "The Falsification Of History: Our Distorted Reality," by John Hamer. You will be blown away by this enormous amount of information, backed by undeniable proof. Everything we were taught was a lie. You can find this book on Good Reads.

[Jennifer]

This was almost a year-long process for me, reading and processing these formative documents. It was a re-affirmation of the idea that we as a country aspire to greatness, fall short and aspire again. I enjoyed the journey.

[Emma]

Wilson Library book sale 9/13/26

[Jeffrey]

If you don't know much about your country . . . get to it. And here's your chance. In just over 1000 pages, you get a, yes, primer on America. Of course you've got writing about and by Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Washington. You've got the Dec. of Ind., Constitution (ever read it? YOU MUST!), Monroe Doctrine, and so on. But what about Mary Easty's the Petition of an Accused Witch? Elizabeth Cady Stanton's Address on the Divorce Bill? (If you ladies don't read everything she and Susan B Anthony have written, then pack your bags and show your lack of appreciation elsewhere!), Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health? Man, and woman, you need to read this. Yes, YOU Mr. and Mrs. American!!!!! PRIME ON!!!!