Play Book Tag discussion

The topic of this book is broad yet selective. McCullough covers the influence of Paris on Americans, specifically American students from 1830s-1890s, who traveled to Paris for their education. The book follows them back on their visits and their career as a whole.

My favorite parts of the book are the most detailed, Covering James Fenimore Cooper, Samuel Morse and Elihu Washburne. I enjoyed my Presidental biographies overlapping with stories of Charles Sumner and Napoleon III political maneuvers in Mexico.

While I enjoyed other parts of the book and learning about other historical figures, some of book felt repetitive and less detailed, leaving you wanting more.

I think this is a hard topic to tackle, but McCullough kept me interested, taught me a lot, showed a side of history not much covered. It has also lead to me wanting to read The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West.

Glad that you picked it up Jason. I liked it a lot more than you, however I was not writing reviews when I read, so I have nothing to reference for my rating of 5 stars.

I do remember the parts with James F. Cooper and how he moved his entire family to Europe.

This was one of the books I thought about reading but didn’t. Glad you enjoyed and definitely still on my list based on your review, thanks.