Jon Meacham, one of our nation’s leading historians, has chosen the texts of dozens of speeches about American progress across its history and even pre-history. Its story is not one of inevitable progress but progress amidst continual dissent. There have always been strong, powerful voices standing in the way of a more perfect union. Seeing them displayed in this way forcefully suggests that struggle is always needed to propel this nation’s aim of a “more perfect union.”
It’s easy to fall into the lazy, logical fallacy that obstacles existed only in America’s past, that we have ascended to our great height already. Indeed, many dissenting voices in this anthology contended that America’s best days were behind us and the populace needed to recapture them – again and again. Meacham’s selected writings instead argue that the struggle and dissent are inevitable. We must find the courage to move forward, whatever that looks like for us and despite loud voices telling us otherwise.
Meacham is no flaming liberal who is blind to conservative viewpoints on the world. He is a personal friend of the George Bush family. He seems to praise Reagan’s triumphant idealism while seeing his shortcomings. His writings reveal himself as a political moderate well-grounded in a centrist telling of American history. His writings do not champion one tradition but instead show the ambling nature that American progress takes, including both political parties.
In this current era of a strong dissent of American progress, I appreciate that most of its opponents simply echo voices from the ancient past. Dissenters rarely have a coherent vision of their own. The challenging part is that the struggle is up to you and me to formulate, in our own small ways. Simply going silent or giving in isn’t an option, nor is becoming a visionless dissenter myself. Rather, the struggle is made through strategic smarts and a fervent spirit. It’s made through humility and hard work as we go about our days. Meacham’s well-chosen selections remind me well that such work is never inevitable but requires our attention and determined perseverance.
American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union: An Anthology
By Jon Meacham
Narrated by Jon Meacham et al.
Text copyright (c) 2026
Random House
Audio copyright (c) 2026
Random House Audio
ASIN B0F9QR1RDF
Length: 20:22
Genre: Anthology, American History
www.amazon.com