“This engaging history of the United States' rise to global dominance explains how a weak and peripheral New World republic turned itself into the preeminent power of the twentieth century.” — Foreign Affairs
“A masterly overview of America’s rise to its current status. . . . Given this outstanding book’s breadth — both its temporal scope and the issues covered — a brief review cannot do it justice.” — Journal of American History
“Hunt writes with clarity and verve. . . . [This] should be on the desk of every candidate for national office.” — American Historical Review
“A provocative book. . . . An impressively argued interpretation.” — The International History Review
“Provides crucial insights into the nation’s controversial role in the world today and prospects for the durability of U.S. power.” — Carolina Arts & Sciences
“Compact but still reasonably detailed as well as illuminating. . . . Traces the broad lines of the national experience placing them with knowledge and balance within the context of global transformations.” — Ricerche di Storia Politica
“Hunt is a serious scholar, and there is much to learn from and about his explanation of America’s ascendancy. . . . [A] sound study.” — MetroMagazine
“Broadly conceived, beautifully organized, lucidly written, and richly documented. . . . Essential.” — CHOICE
“This book is a marvel of research (the annotated bibliography itself is worth the price) and just plain thoughtfulness. . . . Michael Hunt has produced a study that both traditionalists and new diplomatic historians — as well as the public, including politicians — should read, and read again. . . . Students of American history will, I expect, look to this book as a standard of sweeping interpretation and information that surpasses all before it.” — Thomas W. Zeiler, #H-Diplo Roundtable Reviews#
“Displays an impressive command of the historical literature, an ability to tackle important contemporary questions, and a capacity to make connections about disparate problems in American history. . . . Hunt’s informed review of how the U.S. reached its present dilemma will provide a much-needed historical perspective. Policy makers would do well to ponder this sobering record of how a national search for ascendancy can produce as many intractable problems as it solves.” — Register of the Kentucky Historical Society
