My parents were nice enough to get me this book for Christmas:

It’s the “Complete Idiot’s Guide” to U.S. History and is written by an old co-worker and friend, Ken Hite.

It breaks U.S. history up into five parts, starting right before the Revolutionary War and goes to current time (the election of Obama). You can easily read through a section an evening and end up with an excellent overview of U.S. history in less than a week.

In 180 pages or so Ken was able to sum up over two hundred years of history, hitting the presidents and major events — many of which you probably never heard of. He also interweaves longer term themes, such as the treatment of African Americans — from slavery to a black president.

The text is only part of the package, as this is a Graphic work — AKA a “comic book”. Each event is illustrated by Shepherd Hendrix. The visuals help to make the enjoyable prose even more fun (and there is plenty of humor thrown in, to prevent things from getting too dry). The wonderful combination means that you can actually give a history book to a child and not hear them groan in agony. Heck, it means that you can give a history book to an adult who “doesn’t like history”.

There should be a copy in every school library. Not because it is the end-all-be-all of history books, but because it will teach people more about their past. And, if we are very lucky, it will get some people interested in history who may not have otherwise.

Highly recommended.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to U.S. History, Graphic Illustrated

Update: Let me add that I learnt quite a lot, and I consider myself reasonably well read in history. I think that Ken should write a book just about 1919. I had forgotten — and didn’t know — how much happened in that year. If any history writers are looking for a U.S. history theme, I suggest 1919.

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