> A sort of history book that describes what happened then with some rationale as to why it happened and where it went.

What you're looking for doesn't sound like any kind of "history" I've ever heard of. The America you describe never existed.

But you know that. A book that might fill you requirements is B. A. Botkin's "A Treasury of American Folklore" (1944). It's easy to get.

If that whets your appetite, check out the numerous sequels, like "A Treasury of Western Folklore," "A Treasury of Southern Folklore," "A Treasury of Railroad Folklore," "A Treasury of New England Folklore," "A Treasury of Mississippi Folklore," and "Sidewalks of America."

Each is a huge, colorful anthology, from the original sources, of folksy and pop-culture stories, anecdotes, songs, you name it.

Less imposing and more sentimental is Duncan Emrich's "Folklore on the American Land" (1974).