I loved this book.

It felt like sitting down with an old friend who just happens to know a ridiculous amount about American history. It’s a very relaxed, but also engaging ride through his life's work. I felt like I was reading a greatest-hits tour of his books while also inviting us to weave through his own personal growth and reflections. If you've never read Ambrose, this book is the perfect gateway drug—you’ll want to dive deeper into specific books before you even realize you love history.

One of the things that stood out in this book was watching Ambrose evolve personally as society shifted around him. He doesn’t shy away from re-examining his perspectives in light of new understandings, yet he remains firmly committed to the importance of history in shaping how we see ourselves today. For me it was like watching a balancing act—embracing change while keeping one foot planted in the past.

If you're a history buff or just someone who likes a good story told well, this book is an easygoing read that reminds us why history isn’t just about dates and facts—it’s about people, perspective, and progress.

Ambrose offers an eclectic set of historical profiles and his opinions about each topic or event. I enjoyed his writing style. His casual source citations detracted from the work. For my tastes, I tired of his constant references about his academic background, research activities, and teaching experiences. Since this was Ambrose's last book, I should not pass judgement on his selection and presentation of these historical events. I would like to read another of his books, especially one of the biographies he published early in his career.

I have read several terrific books by Stephen Ambrose - Citizen Soldiers, Undaunted Courage, and Nothing Like It in the World - so I found this book of compiled magazine articles to be both interesting and a review of his historical studies. Every chapter is very well written and includes both personal stories about how he studied the topic and also about his family life during his studies.

I especially appreciate two qualities about Ambrose's historical writing - 1) his histories are based on numerous and detailed interviews with people who were there or in-depth reading of personal letters and newspapers of the times when people who were there weren't alive to be interviewed, 2) Ambrose always takes a stand, saying what he thinks the history means for us now. His chapter on the battle of New Orleans explores the possibility that we lost - England would have owned "the West" and the US would have been a small seaboard country. His chapter on Vietnam makes clear that it was a terrible war based on lies and deceit. His chapter on Eisenhower reflects Ambrose's view that Ike was the best man ever to become President.

I'm sure that if I had interviewed hundreds of men who stormed the beaches at Normandy and pushed the Germans out of France, I would have the same unbounded respect for soldiers and a feeling of American patriotism that would burst the buttons off of my shirt - just like Ambrose did. I came of age during the Vietnam war so I don't feel the same way as Ambrose but I certainly can appreciate why he felt the way he did.

The final chapters on the book explore Ambrose's views about our current problems in America - racism, sexism and responding to terrorism. Ambrose tells a great story of how his mother discovered the ideas of Betty Friedan (the Feminine Mystique) and changed the family dynamics in every way. In regards to racism Ambrose predicted with confidence that citizens of Mississippi would adjust without problem to an African-American president, a prediction he made 6 years before the election of Barack Obama). It seems to me that this prediction was way too optimistic but that is Ambrose at his core - expressing his belief in progress, democracy, freedom, and America.

I felt very patriotic after reading this book. This may be the best overview work on American history I have read. Ambrose hits all of the right chords with his writing. Several leadership lessons and lessons under fire are revealed in this book. Well done.