An interesting read. It is good a briefly covering events and perhaps whetting the appetite for further reading on events. I agree with other reviewers that he does seem to forcus more on more modern historical events. ( )

Mr. Alan Axelrod has written a useful guide for those interested in short snippets of information when reading history...i.e., students or casual readers not interested in bulky tomes. This is not to say that I did not appreciate the book, because I did. But overall it does not live up to it's subtitle of "A Patriot's Handbook." Again though, as a library worker it is a title to keep in mind when assisting people find a reference source on Am. History. ( )

A good read. I found the author to be a little biased in his reporting of some facts, but he warned of such in the forward. ( )

This book is an excellent resource for American historical facts and dates. Though the book suggests that the earth is at least 40,000 years old, the rest of the information is very helpful. Each date provides a very brief account of the major corresponding event.

This is a cute idea that doesn't live up to its potential. As a history buff I was disappointed by the disproportionate attention to the events of the 20th & 21st centuries. There were 130 pages that addressed 40,000 BC to 1899. This was followed by 140 pages covering 1900 to 2005. When I think about the "events that made America" the past has a bit more weight than that. I also found the interjection of opinion to be more and more pronounced as events moved forward in time.

This book is interesting as something to browse. It would have more value for reference purposes if it were indexed. (I see from another review that the copy of the book they have is indexed. Mine is not.) ( )

This small book is a good place for someone who is starting to learn about U.S. history. It is a compilation of various important events by date. It is in the format of an outline with a short narrative after each event. So those that find a time in U.S. history interesting will know how to find a book that goes into depth on the time period.

It is not designed for the historian, but is a good collection of talking points for conversation on events that affected the U.S. I found it useful that there is an index arranged alphabetically in the back by subject matter or persons of interest. So if you know of an event or the name of a historical figure you will be able to find what you are looking for. ( )

This book is more of an outline of the history of the United States. It would be best for those that are just starting their studies or reading of history. It points to some highlights with a quick overview. A fun book that may help someone learn that history is interesting to read. ( )

A book in list form that includes important dates in American history, each date that the author lists, gives a short rendering of the event that the reader can look up on the internet for more information on the listed event. ( )

This is one long time line of events, starting with the migration of the earliest Americans from Asia in about 40,000 BC up through Hurricane Katrina in 2004. There is no narrative, just hundreds of entries about significant events, some with just a sentence, others with a couple of paragraphs, only a very few are longer than a half page. It can be read cover-to-cover in order, browsed and skimmed, or by flipping back and forth whenever something catches the eye. It contains all the usual names and dates related to wars and battles, and presidents and politics. It also includes many events of social significance, such as the "invention" of the American games of baseball and basketball, the emergence of American art, literature, and music, and key business events such as the founding of Ford Motor Co, the government's bailout of Chrysler Corp., and the Enron scandal.

My only complaint, which is common in sweeping histories of this type, is that, without the clarifying lens of time, recent events seem more important to us and tend to be over-represented here. I would have been more impressed if there had been a greater effort to discern which recent events might actually have the most future relevence, and which are interesting simply because we remember them.

This book should appeal to anyone with a passing interest in American history. It likely won't leave you feeling "educated", but rather it is a pleasurable collection of "fun facts" that still manages to highlight the tremendous progress and accomplishments, as well as blunders, that the US has experienced in its lifetime. ( )

This is a flyover history of the United States aimed at the reader without a lot of historical knowledge. It has some value, but it's spoiled by the injection of personal opinions, which just doesn't work with summaries that are generally a hundred words or less in length. For a more detailed review, see http://www.mcgath.com/1001events.html...