The Best United States History Books 2025

1. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy (Hardcover)

In this fast-paced information age, how can Americans know what's really important and what's just a passing fashion? Now more than ever, we need a source that concisely sums up the knowledge that matters to Americans -- the people, places, ideas, and events that shape our cultural conversation. With more than six thousand entries, The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy is that invaluable source. Wireless technology. Gene therapy. NAFTA. In addition to the thousands of terms described in the original Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, here are more than five hundred new entries to bring Americans' bank of essential knowledge up to date. The original entries have been fully revised to reflect recent changes in world history and politics, American literature, and, especially, science and technology. Cultural icons that have stood the test of time (Odysseus, Leaves of Grass, Cleopatra, the Taj Mahal, D-Day) appear alongside entries on such varied concerns as cryptography, the digital divide, the European Union, Kwanzaa, pheromones, SPAM, Type A and Type B personalities, Web browsers, and much, much more. As our world becomes more global and interconnected, it grows smaller through the terms and touchstones that unite us. As E. D. Hirsch writes in the preface, "Community is built up of shared knowledge and values -- the same shared knowledge that is taken for granted when we read a book or newspaper, and that is also taken for granted as part of the fabric that connects us to one another." A delicious concoction of information for anyone who wants to be in the know, The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy brilliantly confirms once again that it is "an excellent piece of work . . . stimulating and enlightening" (New York Times) -- the most definitive and comprehensive family sourcebook of its kind.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy (Hardcover)

2. Age of Roosevelt: The Coming of the New Deal, 1933-1935 (Paperback)

The Coming of the New Deal, 1933-1935, volume two of Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and biographer Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.'s Age of Roosevelt series, describes Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first tumultuous years in the White House. Coming into office at the bottom of the Great Depression, FDR told the American people that they have nothing to fear but fear itself. The conventional wisdom having failed, he tried unorthodox remedies to avert economic collapse. His first hundred days restored national morale, and his New Dealers filled Washington with new approaches to recovery and reform. Combining idealistic ends with realistic means, Roosevelt proposed to humanize, redeem, and rescue capitalism. The Coming of the New Deal, written with Schlesinger's customary verve, is a gripping account of critical years in the history of the republic.

Age of Roosevelt: The Coming of the New Deal, 1933-1935 (Paperback)

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Pickett's Charge : A Microhistory of the Final Attack at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863

ISBN: 9780395597729 Condition: New Trade paperback Language: English Pages: 384 Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 384 p. Contains: Unspecified. Back in print--the definitive account of 15 hours that changed the course of world history. This narrativently recreates how itoo familiar story . . . with objectivity . . . (and) explosive detail. . . . (A) stirring book".--The New Yorker.

4. Roll, Jordan, Roll: The World the Slaves Made, (Paperback)

A testament to the power of the human spirit under conditions of extreme oppression, this landmark history of slavery in the South challenged conventional views by illuminating the many forms of resistance to dehumanization that developed in slave society. Displaying keen insight into the minds of both enslaved persons and slaveholders, historian Eugene Genovese investigates the ways that enslaved persons forced their owners to acknowledge their humanity through culture, music, and religion. He covers a vast range of subjects, from slave weddings and funerals, to language, food, clothing, and labor, and places particular emphasis on religion as both a major battleground for psychological control and a paradoxical source of spiritual strength. A winner of the Bancroft Prize.

Roll, Jordan, Roll: The World the Slaves Made, (Paperback) Author: Vintage ISBN: 9780394716527 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 1976-01-12 Page Count: 864

5. Age of Roosevelt: The Politics of Upheaval (Paperback)

The Politics of Upheaval, 1935-1936, volume three of Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and biographer Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.'s Age of Roosevelt series, concentrates on the turbulent concluding years of Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term. A measure of economic recovery revived political conflict and emboldened FDR's critics to denounce "that man in the White house." To his left were demagogues -- Huey Long, Father Coughlin, and Dr. Townsend. To his right were the champions of the old order -- ex-president Herbert Hoover, the American Liberty League, and the august Supreme Court. For a time, the New Deal seemed to lose its momentum. But in 1935 FDR rallied and produced a legislative record even more impressive than the Hundred Days of 1933 -- a set of statutes that transformed the social and economic landscape of American life. In 1936 FDR coasted to reelection on a landslide. Schlesinger has his usual touch with colorful personalities and draws a warmly sympathetic portrait of Alf M. Landon, the Republican candidate of 1936.

Age of Roosevelt: The Politics of Upheaval (Paperback)

6. The Civil War Years: A Day-By-Day Chronicle (Hardcover) by Robert E Denney

9780517189450. New condition. Hard cover. Language: English. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. Chronicles the Civil War from the perspectives of those who lived through it, recording daily events from January 1, 1861 through May 30, 1866, covering such areas as population, economics, states' rights, and medical practices.

ISBN: 9780517189450 Condition: New Hard cover Language: English Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. Chronicles the Civil War from the perspectives of those who lived through it, recording daily events from January 1, 1861 through May 30, 1866, covering such areas as population, economics, states' rights, and medical practices.

7. Confronting Southern Poverty in the Great Depression : The Report on Economic Conditions of the South with Related Documents (Paperback) 9780312114978

ISBN: 9780312114978 ISBN10: 0312114974 Contributors: Carlton, David L., Coclanis, Peter A.,

Confronting Southern Poverty in the Great Depression : The Report on Economic Conditions of the South with Related Documents (Paperback) 9780312114978

8. The Civil War for Dummies (Paperback) by Keith D Dickson

9780764552441. New condition. Trade paperback. Language: English. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. Contains: Illustrations. For Dummies. The Civil War was America's trial by fire; its battles forged the nation we know today. We're still fascinated with it -- the national reckoning with slavery, the legendary generals and leaders, the epic and bloody clashes of armies, the impact on the daily lives of ordinary people. We visit its battlefields -- mostly idyllic patches of countryside near small towns and creeks -- where more Americans died in combat than in all other wars combined, except for World War Two. And we tell its stories -- of last charges, brother fighting brother, imprisonment and emancipation, and tragedy and rebirth. It is our country's epic; the story of how we became who we are, and what price we paid. The Civil War For Dummies is your complete introduction to this seminal conflict. Eschewing tedious historical pondering and military micro--analysis, this fun and information--rich guide gives an accurate overview of the event, from the war's causes through the fighting to the aftermath. Inside you'll discover: 1850--1860: what led to war * First Bull Run: illusions lost * Antietam: the bloodiest day * The Emancipation Proclamation * Heroes and goats of each major battle * Jackson's Valley Campaign * Sherman's March to the Sea * Surrender at Appomattox * And much more Full of sidebars and illustrations, The Civil War For Dummies brings history to life with personalities, factoids, battle reports, strategic maps, and "what ifs." In addition to the military and political history, you'll also find out about: * The African American experience in the war * Women and the Civil War * Native Americans and the war * The life of the common soldier * Banking and finance systems and the war "Firsts" that make the Civil War history's first modern war * Civil War food * Civil War tourism: the best battlefields to visit, and how to get the most out of your trip Written in an accessible style so you can start reading at any point in the story, The Civil War For Dummies makes a great cornerstone for learning about this violent and compelling chapter of American history.

ISBN: 9780764552441 Condition: New Trade paperback Language: English Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. Contains: Illustrations. For Dummies. The Civil War was America's trial by fire; its battles forged the nation we know today. We're still fascinated with it -- the national reckoning with slavery, the legendary generals and leaders, the epic and bloody clashes of armies, the impact on the daily lives of ordinary people. We visit its battlefields -- mostly idyllic patches of countryside near small towns and creeks -- where more Americans died in combat than in all other wars combined, except for World War Two. And we tell its stories -- of last charges, brother fighting brother, imprisonment and emancipation, and tragedy and rebirth. It is our country's epic; the story of how we became who we are, and what price we paid. The Civil War For Dummies is your complete introduction to this seminal conflict. Eschewing tedious historical pondering and military micro--analysis, this fun and information--rich guide gives an accurate overview of the event, from the war's causes through the fighting to the aftermath. Inside you'll discover: 1850--1860: what led to war * First Bull Run: illusions lost * Antietam: the bloodiest day * The Emancipation Proclamation * Heroes and goats of each major battle * Jackson's Valley Campaign * Sherman's March to the Sea * Surrender at Appomattox * And much more Full of sidebars and illustrations, The Civil War For Dummies brings history to life with personalities, factoids, battle reports, strategic maps, and "what ifs." In addition to the military and political history, you'll also find out about: * The African American experience in the war * Women and the Civil War * Native Americans and the war * The life of the common soldier * Banking and finance systems and the war "Firsts" that make the Civil War history's first modern war * Civil War food * Civil War tourism: the best battlefields to visit, and how to get the most out of your trip Written in an accessible style so you can start reading at any point in the story, The Civil War For Dummies makes a great cornerstone for learning about this violent and compelling chapter of American history.