Borneman's book is a throughly engaging, eminently readable distillation of this formative stage in American history. Some might say that his argument that the war "forged" a nation is a bit of an overstatement, largely because numerous problems remained and the nation was still divided over such issues as slavery. His point, however, is not that every division was cast aside, but rather that the war served the purpose of creating a national identity that had not particularly existed before.

During the Revolution, it was a collection of colonies loosely banded together in common purpose. After the War of 1812, however, the United States was a nation with a far richer tradition of heroes and legends (Andrew Jackson and the Battle of New Orleans, Francis Scott Key's creation of The Star-Spangled Banner while watching the British assault on Baltimore, multiple successful naval battles - the exploits of "Old Ironsides" among them, and many more).

It must be admitted that the war also featured incredible ineptitude by America's military leaders; repeated efforts to capture territory in Canada were easily rebuffed and the British burned Washington, D.C. By the time the peace treaty was actually negotiated, some wondered if America could actually survive much longer militarily (or economically - British embargos had bottled up the majority of the nation's trade). And while the peace treaty made no reference to the British impressment practice, because the Americans had managed to stave off most British attacks there was no change in territory: America kept its borders.

This book offers fascinating insights into an often-overlooked period of history and a "silly little war" whose most memorable battle (the battle of New Orleans) was fought after the peace treaty was signed (no email in those days). But it also reflects how the tendrils of history shape and mold what is to come. Before the War of 1812, America was an insular and insignificant afterthought on the global stage. Afterwards, however, it was firmly set on a course which would very quickly result in the usurpation of England's international power.