Limits of Liberty 2e Sohmw P

By Maldwyn A. Jones

Book Overview

This is a major survey of the American past from the earliest colonial settlements to the present day. It traces the political, intellectual, economic and cultural development of a distinctive American society, without losing sight of its continued connections with the Old World. Swelled by a continuous flux of immigration, the population of the United States spread with astonishing rapidity over a vast continent, evolving a new system of government and creating extraordinary wealth. Maldwyn A Jones assesses not only the epic achievements of the nation, but also the tensions and limitations of the society behind the 'American Dream'. In this second edition Professor Jones has continued his study to the present, with a new chapter examining the conservative revival of the 198s and the presidential elections of 1992. He has included an additional map, incorporated the most recently available statistics into the population tables, and completely revised and updated the Bibliography.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0198205724
• ISBN13: 9780198205722
• Release Date: July 1998
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 752 Pages
• Weight: 2.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Great One-Volume History of USA

This is the best one volume history of the United States I have read. The other two I have read are those by Hugh Brogan and Howard Zinn. Whilst Brogan's book was good, I found his style a bit meandering and old fashioned. Zinn's was a good read but it is very biased and therefore not suitable as an introduction to this subject. Maldwyn Jones' `The Limits of Liberty' on the other hand, features both enjoyable, highly readable prose and balanced information on every topic it covers. I have used this throughout my American history degree course and whenever there is something I have needed to look up; sure enough the information has been in here. Another advantage is the extensive bibliography at the end. If there is anything in this edition that you come across and would like read more about, then Jones' bibliography will almost certain lead you in the right direction, offering a good selection. The only minor (and these are very minor) complaints I can think of are that Jones sometimes goes overboard with the amount of facts and figures he uses, to the extent that I often wondered whether this should have been titled `A statistical History of the USA'. As with other single volume histories of the US, Jones also dedicates a disproportionate amount of the book to the twentieth century. The colonial period, which is of particular interest to me, is given only scant coverage here. However, such things are bound to happen in a book that aims to pack so much information in a limited space. I would certainly recommend this as an introduction to the subject it covers.

An excellent representation of American history

Maldwyn Jones' book manages to pack almost 400 years of American history in to just over 600 pages. His account is concisely written and provides for an easy read, encompassing a sweeping range of topics - politics, economics, social conditions, religion, and culture. Beginning from the earliest settlements from the Old World and tracing the evolution of a unique and diversified nation, Jones' organization is infallible, his attention to detail superb, and his conclusions sound. It is a very fair representation of American History, presenting all the relevant arguments to any issue and is a book where one can open to any page and become instantly enveloped. It is simply one of the best books on the topic I have ever read.