American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic @ richardeward.com

American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic
by Joseph J. Ellis
from Knopf

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• The Founding Fathers, Neither Jeckels nor Hydes
  This is a great addition to the history books covering the founding of our nation. Ellis covers the facts and corrects the fictions have become lore, and does so in a manner that is interesting and revealing. The Founding Fathers were neither geniuses who walked on water with the foresight of gods; nor were they evil white men hell-bent on establishing a utopia for themselves only. Yes, they were remarkable men with great talent, but they were men nonetheless, with weaknesses and inconsistencies. Ellis... more info

• A great starting point
  Admittedly, there's not much new here, but this concise, well written, thought provoking book still serves as an excellent introduction to the many complex issues faced by the founding generation. The chapters on early U. S.-Native American relations, and the Louisiana Purchase were particularly illuminating.

• brilliant as usual
  I have read so much about this time period that only Joseph Ellis will give me an excuse to once again read about early US history.
  The problem with most popular historic studies is that it tends to be littered with the adjectives of "brave, bold, noble, patriotic, heroic, etc." and therefore eliminates the objective analysis that provokes examination of the situation. Ellis examined Valley Forge, American and Native American treaties, the Constitutional convention and of course the Purchase with a... more info

• Creation minus One
  Joseph Ellis is a well-known writer of popular histories, winner of both the Pulitzer and the National Book Award, so I began American Creation with high expectations. Of course, the major players at the Founding have filled countless books. As the author points out, it's tough to even-handedly write about men who were early cast as heroes or villains in our now almost mythological past. Like his "Founding Brothers," "American Creation" is a series of sketches. Each chapter examines the principal actors at... more info

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