SONGS OF AMERICA: YOUNG READERS EDITION

Music has changed the world.

Based on their 2019 adult book of the same name, Meacham and McGraw examine the history of patriotism and song from the pre–Revolutionary War period through the election of President Barack Obama. Sprinkled throughout the text are thoughts on specific songs, performances, society, and personal recollections. Although the book does not shy away from darker and more turbulent moments in American history, such as slavery, the struggle for women’s suffrage, and the civil rights movement, the overall tone is optimistic and patriotic. This combination, along with the book’s hurried pace, creates a sense of superficiality, as topics that are introduced aren’t fully explored or explained. Readers interested in both history and music may find this to be a useful starting place for research and inspiration, but they will need to seek out other sources to learn more. The book does a commendable job citing its sources in the text, but a final bibliography would have been useful for curious readers who want to seek out more information. The photographs and paintings do an excellent job of enhancing the text. Most striking, though, is the lack of information about events after the Obamas left the White House; a lot has happened in America, from polarization and rioting to an attempted insurrection. Astute readers will be left wondering why this time and its music haven’t been analyzed as well.

Promising but cursory.