While the strength of the United States as a global force is not a secret, historian Daniel Immerwahr lays bare the breadth and width of America’s might in How to Hide an Empire. His work explores the often extractive relationships of the United States with countries like Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Philippines and how each of these contributed to this country's economic and political growth. He also touches on the tension between America’s expansion and the necessity of maintaining its benevolent image. Tracing a line from America’s birth to the present, Immerwahr’s work is both entertaining and sobering as he brings to light a side of America that is not often covered in history class but most certainly should be.