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Title: American : Beyond Our Grandest Notions by Chris Matthews ISBN: 0-7432-4087-1 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 03 November, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.76 (29 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: America and Americans at their best
Comment: What makes America the greatest country and Americans the greatest people? Chris Matthews of Hardball fame takes those attributes and concepts of Americans from Abraham Lincoln to Jerrerson Smith (of Mr smith goes to Washington movie). There are real life people and fictional characters like Bogie's Rick Blaine from Casablanca. What makes America what it is? and how are we unique in the world? In this compelling and thought provoking story Chris Matthews tells us about ourselves. In this world particularily since 9-11, the warm feelings of Patriotism are appreciated. If I said this was a history lesson, perhaps a lot of people would be turned off. but this book is better than that its a history books that's not dull or boring and gives us, dare I say, a historical prespective without being the dull and boring "H" word.
Rating: 4
Summary: A great piece of work that every American should read
Comment: In startling contrast with his MSNBC show "Hardball," Chris Matthews has composed a moving reflection about America. Whether you are a "Hardball" fan or critic, you will find this book both insightful and moving. Matthews does not redefine America but instead reawakens us to the notions that make America such a grand nation.
In AMERICAN, Matthews proposes "Ten Grand American Notions:" a self-made country, the constant rebel, the reluctant warrior, the common man, the lone hero, the underdog, pioneers, action, optimism and American exceptionalism. Each notion is accompanied by stories of American legends that personify it. The "characters" of the book are both fictional and real-life heroes. Whether speaking of Casablanca's Ricky or former President John F. Kennedy, Matthews captivates his audience with fascinating quips, motivating quotes and heartfelt memoirs.
Perhaps the greatest aspect of this book is its timeliness. In a time of international turmoil and political conflict, AMERICAN reminds us of what our nation was founded on, what it has endured, what it is we are fighting to defend. Void of personal bias and political preferences, Matthews delivers an objective view of our country's history. He hails the good --- George Washington's perseverance during the Revolutionary War, the heroic firefighters of September 11 --- without forgetting to condemn the evils of corrupt politics and slavery.
AMERICAN is written in a conversational style not often seen in history texts. Rather than continuous narrative, Matthews prefers to tell the story through short glimpses of the past. Appropriate pictures are interspersed among the pages, breaking the chapters into more readable portions.
The only downfall of the book is that by the last few chapters the endless stories and quotes become tiresome and begin to lack life, which left me wishing for some of Matthews' trademark witticism. Overall, however, this is a great piece of work that every American should read.
--- Reviewed by Melissa Brown
Rating: 1
Summary: pretty much a long junior high essay
Comment: I usually don't write reviews, and I am not much of a reader myself, but I am greatly disappointed in this book. First, the book has the style of a high school paper. The book has a lot of stories of individuals who kind fit the author's thesis, but no big picture analysis of America. In the end this book says nothing.
The only reason why this book is so popular is because it says everything we want to hear. It has the author's main points of "some basic-and sometimes contradictory-precepts, are pugnacious but anti-militaristic; they admire gun-slinging loners and heroic men of action, but love the little guy and underdogs; they are optimists with a manifest destiny and an eye for personal reinvention." The book describes some Americans who were optimists. But there are equally important Americans, like Alexander Hamilton, who are not optimists. The book also claims that America loves the underdog. Why are the Yankees so popular then? Or that we are reluctant to go to war. Iraq, Spanish American War, War of 1812??? There are a lot of reasons why America is such a dominate power. In my opinion, the reasons why America has dominates is because we have a lot of natural resources, a lot of freedom that allows us to go from rags to riches, massive immigration, and a lot of luck. Rome lasted for over a millennium. America has barely lasted two centuries, and our dominance is more recent that that. I love this country; let's just keep things in prospective.
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Title: Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think by Chris Matthews ISBN: 0684862352 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 27 August, 2002 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: Hardball : How Politics Is Played Told By One Who Knows The Game by Chris Matthews ISBN: 0684845598 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 02 November, 1999 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: This Just In: What I Couldn't Tell You on TV by Bob Schieffer ISBN: 0399149716 Publisher: Putnam Publishing Group Pub. Date: 27 January, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: Fifth Business (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics) by Robertson Davies, Gail Godwin ISBN: 0141186151 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 02 January, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Kennedy Nixon: The Rivalry that Shaped Postwar America by Christopher J Matthews ISBN: 0684832461 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 28 August, 1997 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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