10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America (History Channel Presents)
by Steven M. Gillon
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Book Summary Information
Author: Steven M. GillonBrand: PBS
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-04-04
ISBN: 0307339343
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Broadway
Book Reviews of 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America (History Channel Presents)
Book Review: An unexpectedly thought-provoking book
Summary: 5 Stars
This book, the companion volume to a History Channel series with the same name, is an unexpectedly thought-provoking book.
The series and the book spotlight ten days in US history that triggered critical changes in the nation's development in an unexpected manner. That's an unusual concept. It means, for example, that Lincoln's assassination is ignored, while McKinley's is explored. That's because the impact of the former is well understood, while the impact of the latter-- Teddy Roosevelt unexpectedly propelled into the presidency, the sudden change in US foreign policy to an expansionist mode, the acceleration of the Progressive agenda, and the eclipse of the dominant conservatism at the end of the century-- is not.
Obviously, it's possible to quarrel with the ten events that were selected for the book and the series. Is the slaughter of the Pequot Indians by the Puritans really a critical event? How about Elvis Presley's appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show? Gillion makes the case, and it's up to us to decide if he's right.
The book and the series were developed in parallel, not in tandem. That is, Gillon details the same events as the series writers did, but they didn't share sources. I saw only two episodes of the series, and there are differences in emphasis.
The book is brief, but Gillon is careful to summarize without endangering historical accuracy. The ten accounts are fast-moving, and the writing is crisp. The end result is a very entertaining and enjoyable read. At the end of every chapter, Gillon cites several sources for further reading. These include standard histories and source documents.
This book offered a lot to think about. I really enjoyed it, and I recommend it highly.
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