Union

The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood

By: Colin Woodard

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Length: 13 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

By the best-selling author of American Nations, the story of how the myth of US national unity was created and fought over in the 19th century - a myth that continues to affect us today.

Union tells the story of the struggle to create a national myth for the United States, one that could hold its rival regional cultures together and forge an American nationhood. On one hand, a small group of individuals - historians, political leaders, and novelists - fashioned and promoted the idea of America as nation that had a God-given mission to lead humanity toward freedom, equality, and self-government. But this emerging narrative was swiftly contested by another set of intellectuals and firebrands who argued that the United States was instead the homeland of the allegedly superior "Anglo-Saxon" race, upon whom divine and Darwinian favor shined.

Colin Woodard tells the story of the genesis and epic confrontations between these visions of our nation's path and purpose through the lives of the key figures who created them, a cast of characters whose personal quirks and virtues, gifts and demons shaped the destiny of millions.

©2020 Colin Woodard (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Must read for any US Citizen

Know your history folks, it’s ugly and will upset you. Woodard is a true patriot.

Required Reading

This book is organized at such a high level. Its content is so important for the United States right now. Competing historians writing our history pre-, during, and post-Civil War history. Each trace the idea of who deserves, enjoys, and controls how many citizens actually have the rights promised in the Constitution of United States. One important thing— of many—covered in the book is that the confederacy lost a military battle but survived, thrived and is still alive and well (and on the streets of Portland this weekend with long guns aimed at protesters.)

Sad but true

Sad that racism is still so prevalent in the US and the world. Woodard is an amazing writer of historical truths.

A Solid Narrative Telling of History

This book constructs a solid narrative detailing the evolution of the various American identities held in different times and places, starting in the lead-up to the American Civil War, and ending after WW1. It takes on the point of view of a few key figures in shaping the popular perception of that identity, including historians, novelists, and political figures and activists. Taken with the authors theory of American multi national identity outlined in his earlier work, American Nations, this book does a fine job illustrating how those reginal differences have been put aside in the national understanding of America.

Another Captivating Work by Woodard

Such a great author, once again showing a terrific dedication to research and unearth-thing undeniable facts.

Not what I expected but pretty good

I thought this would be a broader study of the topic but to me it just seemed like a few mini biographies and a real point never materialized. Still interesting though.

a bit more political than I expected

Good information and interesting perspective. However, it seemed the author had a political agenda to prove.