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Description
Ideas That Made America: A Brief HistoryLong before the United States was a nation, it was a set of ideas, projected onto the New World by European explorers with centuries of belief and thought in tow. From this foundation of expectation and experience, America and American thought grew in turn, enriched by the bounties of the Enlightenment, the philosophies of liberty and individuality, the tenets of religion, and the doctrines of republicanism and democracy. Crucial to this development
Long before the United States was a nation, it was a set of ideas, projected onto the New World by European explorers with centuries of belief and thought in tow. From this foundation of expectation and experience, America and American thought grew in turn, enriched by the bounties of the Enlightenment, the philosophies of liberty and individuality, the tenets of religion, and the doctrines of republicanism and democracy. Crucial to this development were the thinkers who nurtured it, from Thomas Jefferson to Ralph Waldo Emerson, W.E.B. DuBois to Jane Addams, and Betty Friedan to Richard Rorty. The Ideas That Made America: A Brief History traces how Americans have addressed the issues and events of their time and place, whether the Civil War, the Great Depression, or the culture wars of today.Spanning a variety of disciplines, from religion, philosophy, and political thought, to cultural criticism, social theory, and the arts, Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen shows how ideas have been major forces in American history, driving movements such as transcendentalism, Social Darwinism, conservatism, and postmodernism. In engaging and accessible prose, this introduction to American thought considers how notions about freedom and belonging, the market and morality -- and even truth -- have commanded generations of Americans and been the cause of fierce debate.
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4.7 ★★★★★
Based on 1003 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
An epic adventure with a rich cast of characters
Format: Paperback
Scout paints the Mojave as bursting with life, a poetic world full of chaparral and chinquapin, of creosote scrub and conifers. These wild vivid landscapes are a backdrop to the real heart of the story, which, like all great stories, is always about People.
The Human Drama, sometimes of People vs the Environment, but more often of People vs Themselves. Overcoming our own fears or injuries or burdens that life inevitably deals to us all. This book captures the pursuit of people stretching themselves, challenging themselves to change and grow.
He does an excellent job of capturing the "esprit de corps" of the trail, of near strangers and fast friends looking out for one another, and the crescendoing intensity as they race against Father Winter. We meet a wide ensemble of characters, which is one of the most magical aspects of any long hike. It is the great equalizer, where people from all walks of life come together and share fellowship.
There are numerous role models within this book. It is impossible to not be inspired by Jan, the quintessential Fixer, or the protagonists who demonstrate exemplary examples of forgiveness and reconciliation, and other humble benefactors and do-gooders who understand that their gifts are more than simply money. They are giving opportunity. The fixers, the reconciliers, the benefactors....we should all aspire to be these types of people.
I hope this is but the first of his trail books. I'm certain there are many of us who would enjoy reading about his adventures from New Mexico to Montana as well. How fortunate was he to meet such wonderful people, and how fortunate are we to share their experiences from the comfort of our homes.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2020
★★★★★ 4
OK book about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.
Format: Paperback
I love books about people hiking the national trails. I thought this book was about the author's thru hike on the trail with his wife. Actually, this book had little to do with the Pacific Crest Trail and was mostly about the other hikers, their relationships, etc. It read like a fiction book, as the author often gave examples of conversations the other hikers had with other people, even when he wasn't around to hear them. He also gave examples of what they were thinking and even what the other hikers friends were thinking. There was no evidence of interviews, etc.
It is a very well written book, so I gave it four stars. If you like books about the relationships of thru hikers, especially their romances, I would recommend this book. But it reads more like a fiction book, in my opinion.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Walking from Mexico to Canada with a great cast of characters
Format: Paperback
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Journeys North. The story is about the Pacific Crest Trail and the people who hike it (thru-hikers) attempting to walk from Mexico to Canada. The author brings the trail to life across the story, but what really stands out is the story of the characters. You find yourself rooting for them as they encounter all kinds of challenges, and you get to know them through their backstory and past experiences that are shared. People attempt a thru-hike for many different reasons, and the story is enriched by their personal stories and histories that they carry with them each step of the way. Even their “trail names” had stories that often highlighted something about the characters themselves. One of the unique things about the book is the Pacific Crest Trail itself, as the author’s descriptions allow you to imagine what it looked like and felt like (including the aches, pains, and injuries along the way). The trail is ever present across this story of the people who walked it, bring them together, and then pulling them away from one other, sometimes for weeks or even months. The trail and mother nature create for an everchanging backdrop as the characters navigate their way north. I am not a thru-hiker and I doubt I would ever attempt to walk from Mexico to Canada, but I enjoyed tagging along on the adventure of Scout, Frodo, Blazer, Dalton, Tony, Nadine and many others whose lives intersected over the course of many miles. I found myself having a hard time putting the book down, particularly as the hikers neared the Canadian border. If you are looking for an armchair adventure along the PCT, or wondered what it would be like to tackle a thru-hike of a long trail, or are curious about the people who undertake such a challenge, you will enjoy Journeys North! I would imagine that if you are a PCT hiker you would find the book even more meaningful.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2020
★★★★★ 5
Incredible Life experience while hiking the PCT
Format: Paperback
As I began experiencing great stories about the "Camino" pilgrimage in Spain, books about "thru hikes" in the US seemed to find me too i.e. The Pacific Crest Trail, and did grab my attention for various reasons...
"Journeys North"-- To me, this story makes it more than apparent, that if you want to learn about yourself and open your "vault doors" so to speak, and free yourself of personal challenges-hiking the PCT could help. This book on it's own, is a wonderful treatise about the PCT, and taught me much about being open and honest with others to include oneself, and about being grateful."
This story "rings" of Freedom, is intense, and at times, raw. From the comfort of my living room... Frodo, Scout, Blazer, and company drug this old backpacker (me) a.k.a. "LightningLayne" along on a fantastic journey north clear from Mexico's northern border to Canada's southern one. Along the way, I noticed how the "goodness" in people replaces just about every negative the world throws in your face. Finally, I laughed, I cried, and even felt sorry at times for all the "participants." In the end, I was "grateful" for the individual and collective stories shared. This story is one that has burrowed in deep and is one I will never forget.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2021
★★★★★ 5
Now I want to hike the PCH!
Format: Paperback
Such an incredible story, actually several stories. Very inspirational. I can’t help but want to join the adventure and experience some trail magic of my own. Thank you for capturing these experiences, Scout. Well done
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Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2025