BookBrowse Reviews Dangerous Nation: Massively researched, well argued, thought-provoking, and constantly surprising.

This is the first in a two-volume project in which Kagan lays out his argument that America is not, and never has been, isolationist. Taking us from the "Pilgrim Fathers" up to the dawn of the Twentieth Century, Kagan lays out his position clearly and eloquently. The question is, will his opinion be a surprise to you? The answer is probably yes if your knowledge of American history is still grounded in the black and white history taught in middle-school; but probably no if you're not American or have read books on similar themes such as Niall Ferguson's Colossus or Cornel West's Democracy Matters (both published in 2004).

Kagan breaks down the "pervasive myth" of isolationism starting with the arrival of the Puritans. He points out that the Puritans did not plan to cut themselves off...