Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Bandgt;The companion to the Showtime documentary series, director Oliver Stone and historian Peter Kuznick challenge the prevailing orthodoxies of traditional history books in this thoroughly researched and rigorously analyzed look at the dark side of American history.andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;pandgt;"At last the world knows America as the savior of the world!"--Woodrow Wilson andlt;BRandgt;
The notion of American exceptionalism, dating back to John Winthrop's 1630 sermon aboard the Arbella, still warps Americans' understanding of their nation's role in the world. Most are loathe to admit that the United States has any imperial pretensions. But history tells a different story as filmmaker Oliver Stone and historian Peter Kuznick reveal in this riveting account of the rise and decline of the American empire.
Aided by the latest archival findings and recently declassified documents and building on the research of the world's best scholars, Stone and Kuznick construct an often shocking but meticulously documented "People's History of the American Empire" that offers startling context to the Bush-Cheney policies that put us at war in two Muslim countries and show us why the Obama administration has had such a difficult time cleaving a new path.
Stone and Kuznick will introduce readers to a pantheon of heroes and villains as they show not only how far the United States has drifted from its democratic traditions, but the powerful forces that have struggled to get us back on track.
American leaders often believe they are unbound by history, yet Stone and Kuznick argue that we must face our troubling history honestly and forthrightly in order to set a new course for the twenty-first century. Their conclusions will challenge even experts, but there is one question only readers can answer: Is it too late for America to change?
Synopsis
The companion to the Showtime documentary series, director Oliver Stone and historian Peter Kuznick challenge the prevailing orthodoxies of traditional history books in this thoroughly researched and rigorously analyzed look at the dark side of American history.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;bandgt;A PEOPLEand#8217;S HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN EMPIREandlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; In this riveting companion to their astonishing documentary series, which the andlt;iandgt;Washington Postandlt;/iandgt; declared is and#8220;grounded in indisputable fact,and#8221; Academy Awardand#8211;winning director Oliver Stone and renowned historian Peter Kuznick challenge prevailing orthodoxies to reveal the dark truth about the rise and fall of American imperialism.
Synopsis
Spanning American history from the 17th century to the present, Worlds Apart looks at the fascinating stories behind twenty communities that were created around principles and ideals that were somehow at odds with the rest of society. Beginning with a Dutch colony in Delaware that outlawed slavery in the 1660s and ending with the 20-year-old Florida community first dreamed up by Walt Disney, Worlds Apart describes the men and women behind these would-be utopias and explores where these experiments succeeded and how they ultimately failed. Enriched by historical and contemporary images and maps, the book offers an incredible portrait of American ideals.
About the Author
Oliver Stoneandnbsp;made such iconic films as andlt;iandgt;Platoonandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; Wallandnbsp;Streetandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; JFKandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; Born on the Fourth of Julyandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; Natural Born Killersandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; Nixonandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; Salvadorandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;Wandlt;/iandgt;.Peter Kuznick is professor of history and director of the award-winning Nuclear Studies Institute atandnbsp;American University and is currently serving his fourth term as distinguished lecturer with the Organization ofandnbsp;American Historians. He has written extensively about science and politics, nuclear history, and Cold Warandnbsp;culture.