A True History of the United States

An eye opening, thought provoking and well written history of the United States that was an excellent read. It led to much reading and discussion within my family and I’m sure it’s a book I will refer to often.

The author, Daniel Sjursen, has written a compelling case of American history which spans hundreds of years from pre-revolutionary war all the way to the Bush and Obama presidencies. While compelling, his case may not be conclusive for some as it is a reading of history which utilizes a similar interpretative lens as that of Howard Zinn's, A People's History of the United States. Sjursen writes well, is clearly capable of thinking about complex issues, and is a great story teller which, given the breadth of this book, was undoubtedly no easy task.

I was attracted to this book because of the title. When I started reading I wasn't sure what to expect because I saw the author taught history at West Point. But as I got into it, I was absolutely hooked -- it's a long read but well-worth it and I could not put it down. Sjursen shines a fresh light on the history of the United States and our imperialist motives through waging war since the beginning of our history. One factor that makes this book so incredible is that he himself is a retired Army Major and combat veteran. His perspective on all of the wars i provided me with new insights and perspectives that were different from how I understood them.. He also provides a balanced portrait (the good and bad) of each of our presidents regardless of political party. Sjursen makes a very compelling case on why the country has become more conservative and how these seeds were planted and/or cultivated by actions taken or not taken by supposedly "leftist democratic" presidents.

This book is meticulously researched and is definitely one I will keep on my bookshelf along with other books that give me a more complete sense of history beyond the one I was taught in school.

I highly recommend this book!

A True History of the United States takes you from before the country's inception all the way to the past few years. As the full title suggests, it covers a lot of overlooked aspects of history-or at least things I myself never learned in history and social studies classes growing up. Before you start this book, be warned that is DENSE! There is a lot to it, and it doesn't skip over eras. Sjursen is very thorough in his writing, and very detailed. I felt like this was a pretty impartial, covering the bad and the good, intensive, and thoughtful compilation of United States history. There isn't a lot of opinion in here, and if/when there is, it is clear, rather than also being presented as fact.

If you are interested in history, especially the parts that are glossed over, and especially the history that doesn't glorify the men that did a lot of bad things, then I'd recommend this book to you. I enjoy reading about history, but this book was one I had to power through because of how much there is within it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Steerforth Press for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have an obsession with American history, this book did not disappoint. A book I will refer to on many occasions. Definitely a recommended read.

On first appearance, A True History of the United States by Daniel A Sjursen, my first impressions were that it might be a weighty tome that might be too academic, particularly as the author Daniel Sjursen is a professor at Westpoint. I have to say that this was so not the case, as the book was written in short digestible chapters the begun in the early days of European arrival to the country we now know as the United States of America right through to the Presidency of Barack Obama.

As a non American with a keen interest in American politics, I found the book to be balanced in its assessment of the US - whether domestically or internationally. This was a pleasant surprise given Sjursen is also a retired war veteran, who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It would be remiss of me to not comment on the length of the book - 688pp. The first half of the book takes place before 1900 (or thereabouts), whilst the latter half was more detailed in its assessment of the near past - the World Wars, Jim Crow/ Civil Rights era, Korea War, Vietnam and the Cold War. Reading this book against the backdrop of the West’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and it falling back into the hands of the Taliban was poignant. It also demonstrates that ‘what we learn from history is that people don't learn from history’.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in history, international relations and also trying to understand why the world is the way it is.

***Thank you Netgalley and Steerforth Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

A great reference guide and a must-read for history lovers. I wish I had learned some of this in my school curriculum. A long but interesting read --- I know I will continue to have discussions based on this book for a long time to come.

A True History of the United States should be used in every high school in America. Written by a former Army Officer and Professor at West Point, Mr. Sjursen tells American history like it is, in all its dirty hypocrisy. I was lucky enough to study at a high school and University where the teachers and professors were more “liberal leaning” and would inject some of these truths into our lessons.

Our history has been “white-washed” for public consumption to encourage patriotism and the belief that we have no skeletons in our closets, which is naive. And to be fair, every country makes themselves the hero in their own story. Many of these skeletons have festered so long that their affects are being felt today. To truly understand what is happening in our country today, we must understand the past.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.