Alistair Cooke’s America

This must be the most interesting history of America that I have ever read (and possibly the only one I have voluntarily read from start to finish). Alistair Cooke, though an Englishman, spent so many years as a reporter in this country that he had a remarkably broad understanding of her geography, people, and history, and he writes with candor and charm. He also writes with the impartiality of someone who has discovered America as an adult and an ally, neither overly cynical nor shamelessly patriotic. Gently, he pokes fun at some of the assumptions we make, and the biases we learn from grade school, yet he shows that the truth is often as impressive as the historical fiction. As I read, I found myself repeatedly wanting to share fascinating tidbits with my family (sometimes to their annoyance!)—and the book reads aloud very well. Not a textbook, it has a frankly subjective quality, leaving out details that are included in most history books, perhaps because they did not fit the story line, or perhaps because they were not well known at the time the book was published (1973). But, on the whole, the book appears to be very well researched, and is an excellent read for anybody interested in a refresher course on American history.