National BestsellerAcclaimed historian Joseph J. Ellis brings his unparalleled talents to this riveting account of the early years of the Republic.The last quarter of the eighteenth century remains the most politically creative era in American history; when a dedicated group of men undertook a bold experiment in political ideals. It was a time of both triumphs and tragedies—all of which contributed to the shaping of our burgeoning nation. Ellis casts an incisive eye on the gradual pace of the American Revolution and the contributions of such luminaries as Washington; Jefferson; and Madison; and brilliantly analyzes the failures of the founders to adequately solve the problems of slavery and the treatment of Native Americans. With accessible prose and stunning eloquence; Ellis delineates in American Creation an era of flawed greatness; at a time when understanding our origins is more important than ever.
#685694 in Books 2014-10-28 2014-10-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.50 x 6.75 x 1.25l; .0 #File Name: 0306822326304 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A very well written account of a classic battle in the Korean WarBy Jerry BrookmanThere have been a number of accounts of this classic battle in the early part of the Korean war; and I've read all; or at least most of them. It's an account of some huge mistakes by General MacArthur and his "fair haired boy"; Major General Almond; that resulted in what could have been a disaster for the First Marine Division but due to the leadership of it's Commander; Major General O.P. Smith; did not. This one doesn't go into as much detail as some of the others; but I still read some facts here that I hadn't read before. It is; IMHO; very well written and well worth the price and the time it takes to read it; for anyone who is interested.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This book is just a rehash of what some other ...By Robert HarbulaThis book is just a rehash of what some other authors have written. Several of them glossed over how crucial this Task-force was to saving Hagaru and the 1st Marine Division and only interviewed people that didn't complete the mission. Weintraub makes the same mistake.He calls the Marines that fought through 12 roadblocks and thousands of Chinese that held all the high ground survivors that bulked up the defenses at Hagaru. Well these survivors attacked and held East Hill the next day against a regiment of Chinese.I was a machine-gun squad leader in this battle and suggest the readers read Give Me Tomorrow and view Bloody George at the Chosin Reservoir on the American Heroes channel for the real story.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Poorly WrittenBy exmptleWeintraub may be a respected military historian; but his writing is atrocious. I'm not sure how he made it through freshman English. His prose is dense and convoluted. He never met a comma he didn't like. His writing reminds me of the academic style where the writer is bursting with the desire to tell you everything he knows and show you how smart he is. Here is an example from this book: "As night fell on the 28th; the Chinese; as a light snow came down; attacked Hagaru; fourteen miles below Yudam-ni; from all sides." (page 91) This guy needs to read a little Hemmingway before writing anything else - or perhaps; he might consider; among other things; not the least of which would be a purchase of Strunk and White; long recognized as a great tutorial for writers; getting a more competent editor. Needless to say I won't be buying any more of his books.
