It has often been said that "Americans always do the right thing after they tried everything else". It's a great quote, but when you stop to think about it, what does it really mean? Was everything done prior to the final act "wrong"? Did the goodness of the last effort outweigh the negative preceding activities? The truth is that the history of the United States of America is complicated. And complex. And contradictory. And it is truly compelling. It has rarely been dull. "After They Tried Everything Else" provides an immensely readable depiction of that history for those who would really like to have a better understanding of how the United States developed into the nation that it is without becoming overwhelmed with information. Of course all of the significant events and characters are here, but they have been stripped of the legends and the myths. However, many others appear that have been residing in involuntary obscurity and they are equally intriguing. Harry Truman, the 33rd President, once stated that "there is nothing new in this world except the history you don't know". And that history is all here, the good, the bad and the events that will leave you scratching your head: surprised, or bewildered, or enraged. Written in a conversational style with elements of humour and snippets of trivia, the author's goal was to introduce the reader to a great story and hopefully produce a desire to learn and read more. In recent years the United States has been experiencing a crisis in identity. It remains to be seen if Americans manage to "do the right thing". After all, they have tried everything else.