Randolph G. Russell first got the idea for American History in No Time when he realized his children did not know many things he thought they had learned in school.  Their situation was not unusual.  Numerous studies and surveys show that the lack of basic knowledge is widespread across all age groups and all academic levels.

There has been no shortage of books on specific topics and eras in American history, but nearly all of them are hundreds of pages long.  Overviews, including textbooks, covering a broader span of time can be more than a thousand pages.  What was missing was a short overview, a quick and easy way to learn what every citizen, young and old alike, should know from pre-Columbian times all the way up to the present.

Since its publication, American History in No Time has been used at a number of colleges, but it is easy for anyone to understand, including children and people who haven’t liked history before.  Nothing else can give someone a solid foundation in so short a time.  The book is also the perfect refresher.  Even those who are reasonably well-informed will find many things they either didn’t remember, didn’t have quite right, or never knew.

Russell’s informative and entertaining presentations have resonated with audiences across the country.  In addition to his expertise in history, the author is an accomplished musician who, in his younger years, performed in many European countries and throughout the United States.  He holds degrees from the University of Miami and the University of Florida.