What Hath God Wrought

I read this book as background research for my biography of James Alexander Hamilton, and I was completely taken in by the drama of the years between the War of 1812 and the Civil War.

We tend not to think too much about these years, but that is a mistake. This book, and the entire Oxford History of the United States series, is just phenomenal for gaining an understanding of how people and events impact each other through the decades.

I read lots of nonfiction, and this is the most captivating I’ve read since Candice Millard’s Destiny of the Republic.

A number of books explain the world in which Jackson came to national recognition, but Howe’s provides a decidedly critical view of Old Hickory and his politics. He is clearly sympathetic to the Whigs, opponents of Jackson and his Democratic party; nevertheless, Howe’s book is a good starting point for a broader perspective on Jacksonian America.

A preeminent scholar of the period, Daniel Walker Howe brings his unique humor, insight, and compelling narrative style to the definitive book on the era. This Pulitzer Prize winning volume from the Oxford History of the United States series combines excellent scholarship with delightful storytelling (beginning with the title) to bring the Early Republic alive.