Simon Schama's The American Future: A History [DVD]

Simon Schama. Here is a man who comes across as more British than the British. Not in a negative way either. But how can a “Brit” comment meaningfully on the USA? Siman Schama does so with a touch of old world charm and class that is “outside the box”. His comments on the devastation of certain parts of the Midwest due to man’s greed to overproduce and the resulting dust storms, is told with great pathos and empathy. You can almost hear the tears in his voice. The demand for water throughout USA and the response of the nation to satisfy this basic need with projects like the Hoover Dam, comes across clearly, emphatically, and with great understanding.The series was made in 2008 and in some instances; particularly on the second of the two DVD’s, focuses on Obama’s campaign for the White house along with those of his Republican party opposition. Schama describes this brilliantly against a background of the historic migration of millions of people to the USA and the every present “immigration” problems into USA. Some 8 years later and in the light of subsequent developments one is inclined to ask, “What’s changed”?Schama himself is an American immigrant; a fact of which he is rightly proud and which he makes abundantly clear. Perhaps it is this very fact that makes the entire series so fascinating. “Schama the Charmer” he is sometimes called. It’s a ‘title’ he perhaps doesn’t appreciate. Nevertheless, this series is presented in a way typical of that which we expect from this highly educated and cultured historian. He tells things as he sees them. At times his remarks are cutting, particularly where he thinks that such criticism is deserved. But he is always charming in his presentation. An excellent series.

This series saw Historian Simon Schama travelling through America looking at conflicts and issues that have affected the nation in its history and how lessons can be learned to deal with similar issues now.The series was filmed in 2007 and so was set against the backdrop of the 2008 presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and John McCain.A very interesting series and beautiful cinematography make this a very watchable set of doumentaries.The episodes are as follows:Episode 1 - American Plenty: Looking at America's dependence on its land and resources and how this is changing in the 21st century.Episode 2 - American War: A look at how different the US attitude to war is from what outsiders assume it to be.Episode 3 - American Fervour: How faith has shaped American political life and influenced pivotal hsitorical moments such as Civil Rights.Episode 4 - What is an American?: Looks into the bitter conflict over immigration in America.

Schama's excellent four-part series was filmed just prior to the 2008 presidential election. In the series he interwove concerns that were present in the presidential debates with episodes from the country's rich history. There are four hour-long episodes, in which Schama makes regular use of original source material to bolster his arguments.The first - `American Plenty' - explores the limits to American resources, with Schama arguing that the very concept of limits to the American dream being up till now anathema to the American psyche. But his is "a story of paradise lost" as he focuses on the issue of water supplies: "The land of plenty is running dry". He tells the story of John Wesley Powell and the Colorado River, ending up in Las Vegas where water has become a precious resource.`American War' is the title of the second programme, where Schama uses America's wars of the past to reflect on those then being fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Schama visits Arlington Cemetery, West Point military academy, and the sight of the Battle of Gettysburg. He uses the example of Montgomery Meigs, President Lincoln's Quartermaster General during the American Civil War, to bring out the contradictions of American `imperialism'.In the USA "the great historical moment have always been acts of faith", states Schama in episode three, `American Fervour'. Here he skilfully combines the two different issues of faith and freedom into one by concentrating on the crucial early constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion. He then goes on to ask why religion has such a potent force in America (but fails to consider, to me, the obvious - a lack of a European-style welfare state). Schama also traces how religion in the States has gone from being a radical force for change to becoming a mark of conservatism.In the final instalment of the series, Schama simply asks `What Is an American?' Instead of focussing on the usual suspects - the Europeans and the black slaves (the latter's story partly covered in the previous episode) - he looks at the Chinese who entered California seeking the liberty and equality that American ostensibly promised. How the Chinese navvies made modern America but were horrifically treated for their trouble is little-known. There are also some home-truths about Americans being the illegal immigrants when Texas was Mexican.Throughout the series archive film and photographs are skilfully edited into contemporary scenes. The film is cleverly and often beautifully shot, with grey and brown autumnal scenes bathed by a rosy glow of a low-lying sun.This DVD set is reviewed in 2012, after President Obama has successfully achieved a second term in office. It's therefore `quaint' to look back on these programmes and witness the hype of Obama's original campaign. Oh how he has disappointed! So as well as this series being of much value to students of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American history, Schama's excellent films and insightful comments on the 2008 election will themselves be of value for future historians looking back on the early years of twenty-first century America.The only extra is a photo gallery.

I found this to be a very interesting program. Simon Schama can be counted on to give a new and informative view to any subject he chooses.

Ich habe die DVD in meinem Englischunterricht der 11. Klasse heute, 1. Juni eingesetzt. Hingewisen wurde ich im von Klett erschienenen Werk The American Dream. Ich behandle gerade Einwanderung nach Amerika. Auf hervorragende Weise wird durch Simon Schama der Interessierte von der Gegenwart in die vergangenheit genommen, um die religiöse Vielfalt und die heterogene Gesellschaft zu verstehen. Klar wird dem Zuschauer durch Dokumentmaterial, durch Liveschnitte und durch Kommentar untermalt mit wohl abgestimmter Musik die Geschichte der Einwanderer (der Juden), den Baptistengemeinden in Episode 3 nähergebracht. Hervorragend auch die Leistung und Bedeutung Jeffersons eindeutig und glasklar dargestellt. Genau die richtige Anzahl von Worten, um das Wesentliche zu erfassen.Ich freue mich auch schon auf die anderen drei Teile What is an American für meine Schüler. Die anderen teile schaue ich mir dann privat erst einmal an.Selten habe ich bei einem geschichtlichen Werk meine Schüler so in den Bann gezogen gesehen.Ich bin beeindruckt.Welch ein gebildeter Mensch und angenehm in seinen Interviews erscheinender Simon Schama. Diesen Menschen würde ich liedend gerne in meine Schule einladen. Und ein so klares Englisch.

This short, four episode look at America is an insightful reflection done by historian Simon Schama, a British man who has spent more than half his life in America. If one is familiar with Schama's other works, including his excellent written texts (e.g., his volume on the French Revolution and his critically acclaimed text on The Netherlands during its wealthy period of the 17th century), this series will remond one of the similarities in thinking which make Schama such an insightful and reflective reviewer of history. While I cannot say this series, made by the BBC during the 2008 American election cycle which saw the rise of the Obama presidency, rises to the level of Schama's previous series (e.g.,  Simon Schama: A History of Britain (Special Edition) ), it nevertheless is a window on Schama's thoughts as he watched this historic election and reflected on what it might portent for America's future. And if one approaches this series with that in mind - that this is a reflection on a historic election and what it might mean for the future of America - then one should not be disappointed.The four episodes are a bit uneven, with the stronger episodes being the last. Where the show may falter a bit is in the attempt to pull together what is an extensive and multi-faceted history of a large country into a short episode of only about an hour. This is essentially an impossible task, and when the series attempts to do so in one of the earlier episodes, anyone familiar with some of the details of American history will immediately see the issues in attempting to do so. But as in most of all Schama's works, the strength of the episodes lies in Schama's approach of taking a theme and then working the narrative around the theme to draw out both large and also more nuanced conclusions, leaving the observer to ponder some of the unanswered questions surrounding the theme.If you are a Schama fan, there is the added benefit of watching a British man who has invested so much of his life in (and about America) coming to the conclusion that, in spite of the difficulties, America's future does indeed look bright, and perhaps can be even brighter with the right amount of effort and a correct approach towards moving forward. There are moments when it is truly touching to see Schama's feelings show forth on this most interesting of experiments, America.Here's some Schama works not to be missed: Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution Landscape And Memory Simon Schama's Power of Art A History of Britain - The Complete Collection The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age Landscape And MemorySimon Schama: A History of Britain (Special Edition)Citizens: A Chronicle of the French RevolutionLandscape And MemorySimon Schama's Power of ArtA History of Britain - The Complete CollectionThe Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden AgeLandscape And Memory

Great dvd, fast service at a great price

Schama can make anything interesting. I will buy and rebuy anything he puts out.