The concept of American exceptionalism has been with us for a long time. The abundance of books and articles on the subject represents a vigorous cottage industry. This collection of essays is a welcome addition to the historiography but, as with its forbears, the issue remains a tricky if not a treacherous animal to grasp. As Halpern and Morris point out in their introductory chapter, “The Persistence of Exceptionalism,” the concept is a “corpse that continually springs to life” (1). These essays “spring to life” from the celebrated annual Commonwealth Conference at the University of London.