In his 1958 "kitchen debate" with Nikita Khrushchev, Richard Nixon argued that the freedom to consume defined the American way of life. High wages, full employment, new technologies, and a rapid growth in population known as the "Baby Boom" ushered in a golden age of economic growth. By the end of the twentieth century, consumerism triumphed over communism, socialism, and all other isms seeking to win hearts and minds around the world. Advertising, popular culture, and mass media persuaded Americans that shopping was both spiritually fulfilling and a patriotic virtue. Mark Lytle argues that Nixon's view of consumer democracy contained fatal flaws - if unregulated, it would wholly ignore the creativedestruction that, in destroying jobs, erodes the capacity to consume. The All-Consuming Nation also examines how planners failed to take into account the environmental costs, as early warning signs-whether smog over Los Angeles, the overuse of toxic chemicals such as DDT, or the Cuyahoga River in flames-provided evidence that all was not well. Environmentalists from Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson and Paul Ehrlich to Ralph Nader and Al Gore cautioned that modern consumerism imposed unsustainable costs on the natural world. Not for lack of warning, climate change became the defining issue of the twenty-first century. The All-Consuming Nation investigates the environmental and sociocultural costs of the consumer capitalism framework set in place in the 20th century, shedding light on the consequences of a national identity forged through mass consumption.

Connect students to the "stories" of history. Connect students to the "experience" of history. Connect students to "success" in history.

At McGraw-Hill, we have spent the past few years deepening our understanding of the student and instructor experience. Employing a wide array of research tools including surveys, focus groups, and ethnographic studies, we've identified areas in need of improvement to provide an opportunity for greater learning and teaching experiences. "Experience History" is a direct result of this.

"Experience History" is also a first in American History. Its groundbreaking adaptive diagnostic and interactive exercises paired with its lively narrative and engaging visuals create a unique teaching and learning environment propelling greater student success and better course results. Instructors gain better insight into students' engagement and understanding as students develop a base of knowledge and construct critical thinking skills. Gripping stories keep students turning the page while the adaptive diagnostics for each chapter and a personalized study plan for each individual student help students prepare for class discussions and course work while enjoying increased course success.

"Experience History" emphasizes that history is not just a collection of proven facts, but is "created" from the detective work of historians examining evidence from the past. Providing the interactive environment that only an integrated solution can provide, "Experience History" gives students the opportunity to examine primary sources and explore specific periods and events. This leads to greater understanding as well as the building and practicing of critical thinking skills. As students uniquely experience American History, "Experience History" propels students to greater understanding while achieving greater course success.

Give students an experience. Improve course participation and performance. "Experience History," and experience success.