great deal of American history, you may find yourself wanting to skip certain passages that reveal little anything you do not already know. I fall into the latter category, but I still enjoyed the book as a masterpiece of a fine historian. (less) Fascinating interweaving narrative of social, economic, political, and military forces at work in the country from 1929-1945. It helped explain much of my superficial understanding of major events during that period. It also dispelled a few myths or over-simplifications about the period. I would actually read this one again, I think. A few interesting points that I learned: Reform was the primary goal of Roosevelt's New Deal, not economic growth. Prior to 1929, the vast majority of Americans live ...more Fascinating interweaving narrative of social, economic, political, and military forces at work in the country from 1929-1945. It helped explain much of my superficial understanding of major events during that period. It also dispelled a few myths or over-simplifications about the period. I would actually read this one again, I think. A few interesting points that I learned: Reform was the primary goal of Roosevelt's New Deal, not economic growth. Prior to 1929, the vast majority of Americans lived in rural areas and in poverty. The Depression did not create widespread poverty, but did create widespread unemployment. Pre-war American politics was dominated by radical isolationists; post-war American politics led the formation of the United Nations and NATO and was one of two global military superpowers. Roosevelt was