Rebirth of a Nation: The Making of Modern America, 1877-1920 by Jackson Lears

Rebirth of a Nation: The Making of Modern America, 1877-1920 by Jackson Lears

It is not easy to judge this book. It might be good, but it might be not so good as those who highly recommend it.

Unlike other historians who are majoring in modern American history, Jackson Lears pays more attention to the issues of personal and national regeneration at this period. He notes that the self-shaping aspirations of individuals had great impact on the national politics. Then he mainly talks about the three themes: moralism, militarism and Progressivism.

He mentions the moralist "purity crusades" in this period, like the movement against alcohol and gambling and so on. Moreover, he also touch about the US governmental policies toward the native Americans and the foreign policies, as well as the belief that social circumstances influenced individuals' fates during the time of the Progressivism era.

The book is rather uneven, although it describes a lot of social events and social evils. It might be a good book, but perhaps it is not so convincing. Lears attempts to convince his readers, but he seems could not give his readers good explainations. The book does not mention the monumental histories at that time as in The Oxford History of the United States, as well as Gordon Wood's "Empire of Liberty" and Daniel Howe's "What Hath God Wrought."

Generally speaking, it touches the key points of this era and provides its readers more information. However, if Lears wants to persuade his arguments to his readers, his work is still in need of further exploration.