“As the great philosopher George Santayana would have said, ‘those who cannot remember the past . . . should simply read Jan Van Meter’s Tippecanoe and Tyler Too.’ Van Meter’s greatest hits collection of slogans is the catchiest ever retelling of American history. It’s like the greatest minds of Madison Avenue sat down to write a history book. They don’t make sound bites like they used to!”

Mo Rocca, author of All the Presidents’ Pets

 “Van Meter’s book is a delightful, richly informative, deeply researched, and fully contextualized work. It is also significant because so many of these slogans permeate American discourse and illuminate national values. Moreover, it’s also fascinating! Who knew that ‘duck and cover’ came from cold war security concerns?”

Michael Kammen, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning People of Paradox

“I read Tippecanoe and Tyler Too with immense enjoyment. Van Meter has selected the most interesting and important phrases in American history and written wonderful essays explaining the origins, significance, and context of each. These essays not only illuminate but also entertain as they present the fascinating background of the slogans that have played such a crucial role in our political and cultural life, ranging from ‘I have a dream’ to ‘Say it ain’t so, Joe.’ I eagerly compared the information about origins with that in my now-standard volume, The Yale Book of Quotations, and was impressed to find that in a number of instances Van Meter has unearthed earlier evidence than that in the YBQ.”

Fred R. Shapiro, editor of The Yale Book of Quotations

“Van Meter writes a brief essay setting each quote in historical context, and his compositions are concise, lucid and factual. Together, they make up an excellent refresher summary of American history. . . . This is a pick-and-choose book, both entertaining and informative. And if you can master all fifty-seven quotes, one might safely say, ‘You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby.’ ”

Literary Review

"This book would make delightful in-flight reading or a nice gift for a trivia buff."

Choice

"...Van Meter provides extensive background on their origin and significance. Each is emblematic of the prevailing values and viewpoints held during a particular phase or turning point in American history."

George Eberhart | C&RL News