lou's library

Guys, I did it!! I finished reading These Truths by Jill Lepore! Honestly, nobody is more surprised than me, seeing as it took me almost two years (of on and off reading) to finish this 800-page doorstopper of a book. Someone hand me a medal, I feel like I just finished a marathon!! Finishing it felt so, so satisfying and I immediately had a thousand thoughts, so here is my review of These Truths!

First things first: I think Jill Lepore deserves never-ending admiration for accomplishing the feat of writing a history of the United States. The idea is so overwhelming to me I would not have the slightest clue where to even begin. The author deserves even more credit for writing a history of the United States that is actually entertaining and gripping and at the same time written in an accessible way, without simplifying complex topics. What an achievement!

I wanted to read this book because I had (and still have, I haven’t memorised the book) big gaps in my knowledge of US history. I did learn about major events (aka Pearl Harbour and the death of John F. Kennedy) in school, but given the massive role the US play on the global stage (and the shit that has been going down over there in recent years), I felt I wanted a more thorough understanding of how this country has become what it is today. And boy, did These Truths deliver!

An inclusive whirlwind tour of US history

It’s a whirlwind tour of American history, covering everything from the treatment of the indigenous populations, to the writing of the constitution, the Civil War, cultural and societal changes, the Cold War and the rise of the internet. What I appreciated most about These Truths is Jill Lepore’s successful attempt to be inclusive in her account, and not to leave out marginalised groups and the hardships they have to face.

The picture she paints of the US is an ugly one at times, but it seems a fair one to me (as far as I can tell). At no point did I feel as though the author was pushing a political agenda (which yes, I do think has to be stressed in the times we’re living in). Her approach was balanced and thorough, and offered a lot of new perspectives that I found helpful and enlightening.

Of course, as with any 800 page non-fiction book, there were chapters I did not find quite as captivating, but that was more to do with personal interest than a lack on the author’s part. I found that the closer it got to the present day, the more fascinating a read These Truths became. That might simply be because the US developed into the version of itself I know today and I thus was more invested in it. But I truly do think the thoughts and findings Jill Lepore offers on why the US is so torn apart right now are helpful.

For anyone wanting a deeper understanding of the US

It is worth noting that These Truths ends during Trump’s first term in office (at least my edition does, perhaps there is an updated one?), as that is when it was published. I know Jill Lepore has just published a new book on the US constitution, but I do hope she’ll write about the current state of the US soon, as I would be fascinated to hear her thoughts in depth about why this country has arrived at this moment in time.

I would recommend These Truths to anyone with a desire for a deeper understanding of the modern western world, particularly the US. As I said, it’s 800 pages long though, so if you only want to brush up on the basics or aren’t particularly interested in what happened in the US in 1789, then perhaps These Truths isn’t the right book for you. I will say I recommend reading it slowly, as it is so full of information and perspectives. I found it to be impossible to read more than a few hundred pages before I had to go and read something else. I wouldn’t have been able to really focus on the content otherwise, which is why it took me so bloody long to finish These Truths. But I did it and am so glad I have read it and now own the book as a research tool for whenever I want to remember how something went down in US history. Because believe me, it’s all in there!

I hope you found this review helpful, do let me know if you have any other recommendations on US history books (although I shall be taking a break from them for a little while). If you’re more into short books, I have a blog post with recommendations here, or if you like political memoirs, may I suggest you read this post here? Happy reading!!