3.5
informative reflective medium-paced

Pretty good look at US history over the years. I’d say the first 3/4 of the book was pretty strong with different views on things I hadn’t heard of before or greater detail than a history book might give. Like the shocking amount of massacres by militias brought in to break strikes or the detail of treaty after treaty with native Americans broken by the US (and all the intentionality behind it).

The last 1/4, Vietnam to the end, lost a bit of its neutrality. You could start to feel the author’s opinion seep through the facts with some pretty pointed criticisms at then current political figures. Still learned stuff in there, but the message felt a little heavy handed with what ifs and solutions rather than leading people to a space where they can draw the conclusions you want themselves.