Remaking America: Public Memory, Commemoration, and Patriotism in the Twentieth Century

Remaking America: Public Memory, Commemoration, and Patriotism in the Twentieth Century by Bodnar, John. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780691047836.

In a compelling inquiry into public events ranging from the building of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial through ethnic community fairs to pioneer celebrations, John Bodnar explores the stories, ideas, and symbols behind American commemorations over the last century. Such forms of historical consciousness, he argues, do not necessarily preserve the past but rather address serious political matters in the present.