Associated with the late twentieth century, the decolonization of the modern world was symbolized by the birth of the United States in 1776 - a country that then had to grapple with the meaning of its own emancipation for its growing power in a world of other peoples. The great historian Sean Byrnes has written an epic and masterful survey of America's struggle with empires - including its own - over two centuries. Whether and how empires end turn out to be defining American questions.

Samuel Moyn, Yale University, USA

I'm so grateful I read this book, and you will be too. Sean Byrnes has done something extraordinary with The United States and the Ends of Empire, a sweeping and incisive survey of the history of the US in the world from Thomas Jefferson to Donald Trump. Byrnes is an unfailingly judicious guide to the paradoxical career of this self-proclaimed “empire of liberty.” Whether you're a student encountering this material for the first time or a seasoned historian, I promise there is something here for you. Because the story Byrnes tells isn't just about US foreign policy. It's about the noble ideals, acid realities, and relentless struggles that made our world-and just might point the way to something better.

Timothy Shenk, George Washington University, USA