Commager the american mind books

Henry steele commager, history scholar and defender of the. See all 4 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Henry steele commager is author of many books, including the american mind. In a book written out of a passionate belief in the staying powers of the democratic principles, a noted historian has written a major work that may be described as an interpretation of american thought and character since the 1880s. Commagers thesis is that pragmatism or variants thereof not always.

The american mind is dead, long live the american mind modern. Important books bore titles like the american mind henry steel commager 1950, the american political tradition richard hofstadter 1948, or the americans. Find american mind by commager, henry steele at biblio. H enry steele commager, one of the greatest american historians and a friend to this magazine for many years, died at his home in amherst, massachusetts, on march 2, at the great age of ninetyfive.

But in its own way it seeksand, i think, findsthe american character. During that same year, commager published what became a part of the canon of early american studies volumes. Henry steele commager was an american historian and educator who achieved much fame as a textbook author and as an editor of books of documents. An interpretation of american character and thought since the 1880s 1950 was perhaps his bestknown work of history. Starting in the 1930s, he published a torrent of histories, biographies, textbooks, anthologies and inquiries.

Commager on tocqueville by henry steele commager, henry s. A wise and suggestive book which all students of american civilization can read with benefit. The subtitle suggests that it is commager s view of the philosophy of the american people from 1880 until the time of its printing nearly 60 years ago. Morris, commager edited the new american nation series in over forty volumes and coauthored the encyclopedia of american history 1953.

Commager first gained attention in 1930 as coauthor, with the. Henry steele commager, american historian and teacher born oct. Henry steele commager 19021998 find a grave memorial. Among his many other books was the american mind 1951, a meditation on what commager perceived to be the american character, often considered his finest work.

T his site is dedicated to the life, memory and legacy of henry steele commager educator, essayist and impassioned enthusiast of the enlightenmentan enthusiasm which he exemplified in his widely ranging professional and personal pursuits. Us army information and education division, 1945 father. Commager has many opinions still worth taking seriously. If ever a book was out of fashion, it is henry steele commagers the.

Thirty years ago i was a senior in college, at the university of texas, and my history professor, dr. In a book written out of a passionate belief in the staying powers of the democratic principles, a noted historian has written a major work that. Critics occasionally damned the cultural consensus for its suffocating homogeneity hingham 1959, but few questioned its existence. He taught at columbia university and amherst college. Henry steele commager henry steele commager a longtime member of the editorial advisory board of american heritage, henry steele commager 19021998 taught at new york university, columbia, and amherst college, and authored more than forty books. Commager, henry steele 19021998 harvard square library. The american character is animated by pragmatic concerns rather than by abstract thoughts. He authored over 40 books and 700 papers, and was well known for his outspokenness on the topics of mccarthyism, the vietnam war, and civil liberties. The american mind, in addition, was a work of intellectual history written at the height of the influence of american intellectual history as a field. Henry steele commager born 1902 was an american historian who achieved much fame as a textbook author and as an editor of books of documents. An interpretation of american thought and character since the 1880s 9780300000467 by commager, henry steele and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Commagers books for children and young adults included americas robert e. The american mind an interpretation of american thought.

Constitution, which he held to be a perfect blueprint for a political system. Henry steele commager author of the story of world war ii. Henry steele commager was a titan of american historiography of the 20th century. Commager is considered an eminent historian of america. Henry steele commager 190298 perspectives on history. An interpretation of american thought and character since the 1880s edition 1. An interpretation of american thought and character since the 1880s by henry steele commager. Henry commager has never written with such felicity and charm. Their books and their students established the new field of american. Published in 1950, it selfconsciously joined the company of authoritative. A prolific liberal intellectual, he helped define modern liberalism in the united states. Among them are the growth of the american republic with samuel e.

Among the books he edited are documents of american history 1934, 8th ed. This was the first full length book that i have ever read by him and i expected much more than i received. The american mind moves in on an area that tempts and needs exploring, but columbia professor henry. Henry steele commager was born in pittsburgh, pennsylvania on october 25, 1902, the son. In a book written out of a passionate belief in the staying powers of the democratic principles, a noted historian has written a major work that may be described as. List of books and articles about henry steele commager. Uncommonly good collectible and rare books from uncommonly good booksellers.

He is emeritus professor of history at amherst college in massachusetts. Although much of the book is a description of the cultural transformation from the. Works of henry steele commager acls humanities ebook. He also earned a reputation as a historian of ideas and as a participant in the debates on the public issues of his day. Henry steele commager american historian and educator. An interpretation of american thought and character since the 1800s and the empire of reason. An interpretation of american thought and character since the 1880s. That character all but eludes description and that philosophy definition, yet both. There have been few good books on americas intellectual traditions. Henry steele commager was an american historian who helped define modern liberalism in the united states for two generations through his 40 books and 700.

Henry steele commager october 25, 1902 march 2, 1998 was an american historian. It fills in the intellectual background of our contemporary perplexities. The american mind 1950 enlivened the thenrising field of intellectual history, and its concept, the watershed of the nineties, stimulated debate and elaboration. The commager book that ive spent the most time with is one that fits less readily into his canon than volumes like the empire of reason, or the american mind, or even freedom, loyalty, dissent. Evan commager wrote several books, including cousins, tenth birthday, beaux and valentine. The american mind by commager and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Over a period of two and a half centuries, marked by such adventures as few other people had known, americans had created an american character and formulated and american philosophy. His principal scholarly works were his 1936 biography of theodore parker.

His defense of pragmatic liberalism remains powerful as a historical interpretation and as a vision of america. Henry steele commager henry steele commager born 1902 was an american historian who achieved much fame as a textbook author and as an editor of books of documents. Henry steele commager october 25, 1902 march 2, 1998, the renowned and often controversial american historian and teacher, was the author of over forty books and 700 articles in. His notion of the american mind continues challenging. In a book written out of a passionate belief in the staying powers of the democratic principles, a noted historian has written a. In a book written out of a passionate belief in the staying powers of the democratic principles, a noted historian has written. Hardcover january 1, 1950 by commager,henry steele, author 3. How europe imagined and america realized enlightenment.

Commager reckons that the civil war and the economic disasters of the 1890s provided the kindling for a blaze of intellectual, national selfexamination in the following decades. Midcentury liberalism and the history of the present 1999, by neil jumonville, is based on his life. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. If you studied american history in this country at any time between, say, 1930 and 1970, you probably used the growth of the american republic, which he wrote with samuel eliot morison of harvard. See all 19 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. He also earned a reputation as an historian of ideas and as a participant in the debates on the public issues of his day. Commager taught abroad in the summer and was harmsworth professor at oxford in 195253. His productive career spanned fully twothirds of it.