Reviews
"David Kennedy is one of America's most distinguished historians, and Freedom from Fear is a remarkable achievement: deeply researched, insightful, and beautifully written. Fast-paced, it presents vivid portraits of major actors such as Roosevelt, Churchill, and Hitler, as well as of thehopes and fears of millions of lesser-known people caught up in the tumultuous years of the Great Depression and of World War II."--James T. Patterson, Bancroft Prize-winning author of Grand Expectations, "This is an enormous book, heavy to carry and light and very agreeable to read.... Kennedy holds firmly the attention of the reader, conveying a sense of both serious care and competence, all in good, unassuming English.... The book...has my strong approval. As it will have, I cannot doubt,that of the many readers it deserves."--John Kenneth Galbraith, The Washington Monthly, "From its dramatic prelude depicting Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, and Joseph Stalin hearing the news of the end of World War I on November 11, 1918, to its moving climax on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, this panoramic narrative pulses withlife, color, incident, and action. We know how it all comes out, yet the fate of the nation seems to hang in the balance as Kennedy captures history's throat-catching contingency." --Jack Beatty, author of The Rascal King: The Life and Times of James Michael Curley and The World According to PeterDrucker, Freedom from Fear brings together in one place the epic story of how America faced the greatest challenges in its history. At a time when we tend to bemoan our selfish preoccupations, it is bracing to read David Kennedy's moving account of our better selves. This is history the way it oughtto be.--Alan Wolfe, Boston College, author of One Nation After All, "It's hard to think of a more interesting time in American history than the years of the Great Depression and the Second World War--or an historian better able to bring it to life than David Kennedy."--Evan Thomas, author of The Very Best and co-author of The Wise Men:Five Friends and theWorld They Made, "David Kennedy is one of America's most distinguished historians, andFreedom from Fear is a remarkable achievement: deeply researched, insightful,and beautifully written. Fast-paced, it presents vivid portraits of majoractors such as Roosevelt, Churchill, and Hitler, as well as of the hopes andfears of millions of lesser-known people caught up in the tumultuous years ofthe Great Depression and of World War II."--James t. Patterson, BancroftPrize-sinning author of Grand Expectations, "David Kennedy's panoramic history of America and the world between 1929 and 1945 is a superb reconstruction of the era that formed our times. Simply put, it is a brilliant narrative and analysis. Anyone who wants to understand our century needs to read Kennedy's book."--Robert Dallek,Boston University, author of Flawed Giant: Lyndon Johnson and his Times, 1961-1973, "David Kennedy's Freedom from Fear is a masterful work of history coveringthe American people and their government through the eventful years 1929-1945,it rests on an extraordinary command of the historical literature about thatperiod. Kennedy's sprightly and lucid prose add force to his carefuljudgements, all fo them informed, some of them controversial. The book willappeal to all generations of Americans, perhaps especially to those who rememberthe Great Depression and World War II, but also to their children andgrandchildren. For all Americans still live with the persisting influence ofthose Experiences."--John Morton Blum, Sterling Professor of History Emeritus,Yale University, "An engrossing narrative of a momentous time. The best one-volume account of the Roosevelt era currently available.... Good old-fashioned history."--Barry Gewen, The New York Times Book Review "This is modern America's story--modern America's most thrilling, most irresistible, and most significant story--and in this massive volume, David M. Kennedy makes it his story in a way that no one has before. Freedom From Fear, the fourth installment of the new Oxford History of the United States to appear, is as much a triumph as its predecessors, providing every indication that the series, once completed, will stand as the most comprehensive and most compelling narrative history of the nation."--David M. Shribman, Boston Globe "A grand historical synthesis.... This is the kind of book prizes are made for."--Herbert Mitgang, Chicago Tribune "Rarely does a work of historical synthesis combine such trenchant analysis and elegant writing as does Kennedy's spectacular contribution to the Oxford History of the United States.... Will stand for years to come as the definitive history of the most important decades of the American century."--Publishers Weekly "No other book so vividly captures the spirit of those 17 years that forever changed America."--Richard A. Nenneman, Christian Science Monitor, "Displaying a literary craft uncommon in survey works, he has woven together narrative, sketches of character, and critical judgment to record and analyze the economic, political, social, and military events of these epic years.... This account of the crucial struggles and events of theDepression and war years will lend perspective like few others."--Library Journal, "In Freedom from Fear, David Kennedy combines the synthetic talents of a brilliant historian with the literary gifts of a great storyteller. The result is engrossing history, with all the complex characters and suspense of high drama put impressively to the task of demonstrating how a decadeand a half of Great Depression and World War have shaped the rest of our century."--Lizabeth Cohen, Harvard University, "We expect the best from David Kennedy and he will not disappoint anybody with this competent, complete and literate volume. Covering a time of large and intense change, it is all here. A major and thoroughly fine piece of work."--John Kenneth Galbraith, "An engrossing narrative of a momentous time. The best one-volume account of the Roosevelt era currently available.... Good old-fashioned history."--Barry Gewen,The New York Times Book Review "This is modern America's story--modern America's most thrilling, most irresistible, and most significant story--and in this massive volume, David M. Kennedy makes it his story in a way that no one has before.Freedom From Fear, the fourth installment of the new Oxford History of the United States to appear, is as much a triumph as its predecessors, providing every indication that the series, once completed, will stand as the most comprehensive and most compelling narrative history of the nation."--David M. Shribman,Boston Globe "A grand historical synthesis.... This is the kind of book prizes are made for."--Herbert Mitgang,Chicago Tribune "Rarely does a work of historical synthesis combine such trenchant analysis and elegant writing as does Kennedy's spectacular contribution to the Oxford History of the United States.... Will stand for years to come as the definitive history of the most important decades of the American century."--Publishers Weekly "No other book so vividly captures the spirit of those 17 years that forever changed America."--Richard A. Nenneman,Christian Science Monitor, "Kennedy combines the best aspects of narrative and history. His wonderful single-volume history of the era is comprehensive and well researched, and scholars will find much that is new and informative.... It is a smoothly flowing and easily digestible account of great events, andwell-informed lay readers will have little difficulty in following and appreciating this saga.... This is a work replete with revealing subtexts, and Roosevelt's relations and struggles with African American leaders are especially fascinating. It is a worthy addition to an outstanding series and anessential component to a U.S. history collection for both public and college libraries."--Booklist, "Displaying a literary craft uncommon in survey works, he has woventogether narrative, sketches of character, and critical judgment to record andanalyze the economic, political, social, and military events of these epicyears.... This account of the crucial struggles and events of the Depression andwar years will lend perspective like few others."--Library Journal, "It's hard to think of a more interesting time in American history thanthe years of the Great Depression adn the Second World War--or an historianbetter able to bring it to life than David Kennedy."--Evan Thomas--author of TheVery Best and co-author of The Wise Men:Five Friends and the World TheyMade, Freedom from Fear brings together in one place the epic story of howAmerica faced the greatest challenges in its history. At a time when we tend tobemoan our selfish preoccupations, it is bracing to read David Kennedy's movingaccount of our better selves. This is history the way it ought to be.-- AlanWolfe, Boston University, author of One Nation After All, "In Freedom from Fear, David Kennedy combines the synthetic talents of abrilliant historian with the literary gifts of a great storyteller. The resultis engrossing history, with all the complex characters and suspense of highdrama put impressivley to the task of demonstrating how a decade adn a half ofGreat Depression adn World War have shaped the rest of our century."--LizabethCohen, Harvard University, "This is an enormous book, heavy to carry and light and very agreeable toread.... Kennedy holds firmly the attention of the reader, conveying a sense ofboth serious care and competence, all in good, unassuming English.... Thebook...has my strong approval. As it will have, I cannot doubt, that of themany readers it deserves."--John Kenneth Galbraith, The WashingtonMonthly
