How to hide an empire: geography, territory, and power in the greater United States

For a country that has always denied having dreams of empire, the United States owns a lot of overseas territory.

America has always prided itself on being a champion of sovereignty and independence.

We know it has spread its money, language and culture across the world - but we still think of it as a contained territory, framed by Canada above, Mexico below, and oceans either side.

Nothing could be further from the truth. 'How to Hide an Empire' tells the story of the United States outside the United States - from 19th-century conquests like Alaska, Hawai'i, the Philippines and Puerto Rico, to the catalogue of islands, atolls, and archipelagos dotted around the globe that are still American soil.

Many are thousands of miles from the mainland; all are central to its history.