Here’s history from the people who saw it happen.

Some are famous, some are anonymous. Some were caught in the rush of events, others kept their distance. Some knew they were writing for the public record, others recorded thoughts they never expected to share.

They have one thing in common: They were at the right place at the right time, with their eyes wide open and a gift for telling about what they saw.

The result is history as it felt to live through it: exciting, confusing, and sometimes frightening.

Eyewitness to America:
500 Years of History in the Words of Those Who Saw it Happen

“It’s the kind of book that can be opened anywhere. . . . A multi-faceted history of the land and people told through the voices and writings of hundreds of participants and observers.”
—Herbert Mitgang, Chicago Tribune Book Review

“A highly entertaining look at American history, a varied, imaginatively selected panorama. . . . The result is a feeling for history that is both immediate and dramatic. . . . A wonderful collection.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“For a swift-moving, kaleidoscopic view of U.S. history, you can’t do better. It gets you as close as possible. The range is enormous, and the descriptions are lively.”
—Parade

“Dramatic and riveting. None but the pickiest churl could find a significant omission in this compilation. . . . There are dozens of illuminating moments.”
—Smithsonian

“This book is something of a miracle. . . . This is a mother lode of historical lore, up close and personal as the saying goes. Thumbing through its selections can be a giddy experience.”
—Richmond Times Dispatch

Eyewitness to the American West:
500 Years of Firsthand History, from the Aztec Empire to the Digital Frontier

“The latest volume in Colbert’s deservedly praised Eyewitness to America series, and the latest may be the best. This is an excellent book.”
—Booklist

“No one interested in Western history will want to miss this fascinating collection.”
—Tony Hillerman

“Delightful surprises, captivating elements of the grand American adventure.”
—Dallas Morning News

“The more selections you read, the more you want to read.”
—San Jose Mercury News

Eyewitness to Wall Street:
Four Hundred Years of Dreamers, Schemers, Busts and Booms

“A delightful new financial history of the nation. . . . This is a perfect volume to lay on a table beside your bed to be dipped into whenever your personal fortunes and the nation’s financial future appear particularly dark.”
—Baltimore Sun

“Focusing on people and not numbers, Colbert traces U.S. history as it is linked to the financial markets. With material drawn from diaries, private letters, memoirs, and reports, he brings Wall Street to life.”
—Booklist

“Expansive and entertaining”
—Publishers Weekly