Understanding America: The Anatomy of an Exceptional Nation

by Peter H. Schuck (Editor), James Q. Wilson (Editor)

What is America? Is it a hegemonic superpower, composed of ruthlessly selfish capitalists? Or is it a land of hope and glory, a shelter for the huddled masses, and a beacon of freedom and enlightenment? The definition of this complex nation has been debated substantially, yet all seem to agree on one it is unique. The idea of an exceptional America can be traced all the way back to Alexis de Tocqueville's nineteenth-century observations of a newly formed democracy that seemed determined to distinguish itself from the rest. Little, it seems, has changed.

Building on de Tocqueville's concept of American exceptionalism, this collection of essays, contributed by some of the nation's top scholars and thinkers, takes on the weighty task of sizing up America in a way its people and others can comprehend. Far more than simple history, they outline the current state of American institutions and policies -- from the legal system to marriage to the military to the Drug War -- and anticipate where these are headed in the future.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, American, Cultural

704 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2008

Reviews

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to ask why America is how it is, particularly in position to the rest of the world, and more particularly with an emphasis on comparisons to Europe. It's a collection of essays written by scholars in the fields they write on. It's been very fascinating and enlightening, and has helped me to see why America operates how it does, often in a manner so different from the rest of the world.