ISBN0073255041

I bought this book for an American History course at college. I enjoy the expanded sections on 'Where Historians Disagree', with analysis of different points of view on a given subject. There are also added pages for the impact on / roles of women in American history. Since they reissue this series every few years, I'm sure it will only expand and improve, but it is a great starter text for anyone interested in American History from 'discovery' to today.

We use this book for AP U.S. History and I have to say, it must be the most dull and uninteresting textbook I have ever had the displeasure of reading. It provides a lot of information all right...there's plenty of text, text, and more text. However, the text focuses entirely on all of the wrong parts of U.S. History. The AP exam is broken down into 40% political and economic, 40% social, and 20% other stuff, such as arts and such. This book, instead, is broken into approximately 95% social, 4% political and economic, and 1% other. It's absolutely ludicrous. What's more, a large majority of this social history is on women's history. Despite the fact that women played a role in American history, it is absolutely ridiculous that Brinkley places more emphasis on women in American history than anything else. He gives little focus onto the rise of the technologies of the Industrial or Modern eras, the American imperialism, or anything that really matters for that matter. He doesn't give any impression that the world was in danger from the Axis forces during World War II. In fact, he is so preoccupied with the rise of women that there is almost no mention of anything important that the United States did on a global scale during the 20th century. If you enjoy women's history, then this is definitely the right book for you. If you're looking for a well-balanced textbook that provides a scope on ALL aspects of American history, save yourself the money and use a different book.

I love how fast it took, sorry i took so long to leave a comment...

This past year, I have had to use this edition of the Brinkster's text for an honors-level American History I course. From week one, the instructor was as uninspired and incoherent as The Godfather Part III, so I knew I would have to use the textbook if I wanted to learn anything. American History: A Survey presents an unbiased account of the nation's adventure through time, but in its successful attempt to remain neutral, it comes off as bland as a rice cake. The Prime Source Investigator CD features some nice flashcards and quizzes, but the text itself is perhaps more boring than Warhol's film Empire. A friend of mine recommended The American Pageant, and after reading a few chapters of it, I've decided to plunk down the cash for a more engaging read.

This book was used when i bought it but when i received it, it was like brand new everything page in perfect condition. I used the book for my history class and passed with a "B". Thanks Alan Brinkley...LOL :-)