Having taken a semester long course on religion in America and getting a more finite look at religion in America, it was interesting to read Patrick Allit’s Religion in America Since 1945, to get a feel for what one historian feels are the most important aspects to discuss. I did enjoy the brief background he gave on most of the subjects that he discussed, but this is to be expected with a survey history. However, I did feel that there were instances in which Allit had glossed over some of the more important aspects of the religions he was discussing. For example, what I have taken from the class, and other classes, is that the Jewish experience of World War II greatly changed the entire Jewish community and to me this was not well discussed. To come to the author’s defense, getting into the more finite details of various religions would entail much more work. Anyone who has read fairly extensively in a given field will inevitably find fault with things that are in the book and quarrel over things left out.
Furthermore, considering the fact that the end of the book mentions so much about the importance of Islam and its relation to current events, I thought this religion could have used more discussion. He does mention in the preface that in order to do all religions justice would have entailed more than just the work at hand; I just feel that any book about religion since 1945 should have some discussion about Islam. Perhaps I ask too much of Allitt. The book as a whole was alright, not my favorite of our assigned readings but nor did I hate the book. I think reading it at the end of the semester was a good idea as it gave me an interesting perspective while reading it.