"An excellent survey of U.S. Foreign Policy." – Library Journal

The Washington Times | October 12, 1997
It is no mean feat to write a book with the subtitle "American Foreign Policy since 1938," but if anyone is capable of accomplishing such a formidable task, Stephen Ambrose certainly is. The historian's Rise to Globalism (Penguin, $14.95, 464 pages) is now in its eighth revised edition.

As one might expect from a book that has been regularly revised and expanded since its original publication in 1970 - taking on more and more subject matter with each edition - the reading is a little disjointed at times, even despite the addition of a co-author, historian Douglas Brinkley, to help Mr. Ambrose carry the load of almost 60 years of history. What's more, the editing is sloppy as the publishers seem to have rushed the book into production to capitalize on Mr. Ambrose's fame as America's current historian of choice.

Even so, the book is a fine primer on U.S. foreign policy, offering readers a comprehensive survey of the essential developments - from FDR's lend-lease program in World War II to the Truman Doctrine to Detente to the Dayton Accords, and all points in between. Some readers will bristle at the authors' judgments, but the end result is a concise and informative study of America's ascendancy.

Rise to Globalism: American Foreign Policy Since 1938

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