As the United States adjusts to its role as sole superpower in a world of shifting allegiances, it has never been more important to understand what makes the country work. It is 30 years now since Alistair Cooke's award-winning 'personal history of the United States' appeared on TV and in the bestseller lists. Since then empires have fallen, reputations have been made and lost and 'globalization' has entered the dictionary. Time is a stern test for historians and this highly perceptive and wonderfully readable account has proved itself a classic. ALISTAIR COOKE'S AMERICA traces the history of America from the eve of discovery by European explorers to modern times: the young nation fighting for independence and forging its identity; the indomitable spirit of those who set out to tame the West; the fate of slaves and their masters; the 'huddled masses' who came seeking a new life. For this new edition, Alistair Cooke has written an extensive 'note to the reader' compiled with the inimitable wisdom that has engaged his audiences and readers for over half a century.