Are you all aware of what a good writer is Bill Bennett? I just finished reading Volume II of his work entitled "AMERICA, The Last Best Hope". It begins with events leading up to World War I, and ends with the Presidency of Ronald Wilson Reagan. It is a wonderful book, chocked full of interesting details of our country's history as leader of the free world.
On the next-to-last page, Bennett asserts, "We surprise ourselves, never knowing with exact certainty from whence our next leader or hero will come - good reason to respect and defend one another as Americans, as fellow countrymen dedicated to a great proposition." Will it be McCain? Will it be Obama? Or, will we have to wait four more years to get that next great leader?
I wish we could have the benefit of hindsight, instead of trying to figure out ahead of time, whom to trust with our votes. The nation gave Richard Nixon a huge landslide victory in 1972. He became the first president to have to resign in shame. The nation was thrilled to see Jimmy Carter get out of his limo and walk with the people on his inauguration day in Washington. Four years later, the nation could not wait to see him leave Washington. People were suspicious that an actor could be president, but Ronald Reagan, because of his steadfast faith in God and country, and the principles on which the country was built, made us believe in ourselves again. Harry Truman had been a small town judge in Missouri, but led us to victory in World War II, and desegregated the military.
This morning I picked up Bennett's "Book of Virtues". Are you like me: when I enjoy one good book by an author, I immediately want to read other works by the same author.
4 comments:
DH picked up a copy of the Book of Virtues, way back when we were in college. It's a great compendium; would have been nice to have when I was a kid.
In a few years Bush could be seen as a hero and Obama will be as close as he has very come to feeling ashamed.
Yes I do that myself. I'm currently on a David McCollough kick. I think I have one more to read about the Johnston Flood and I'll check out Bennett.
There's a Book of Virtues for younger children, very nicely illustrated. We have it for the grandkids now- and the big books for later.
On the same note- I found a re-print of Munro Leaf's 'How to Behave and Why" in the Old Vermont Store catalog. I ordered it for O. and last week was the first chance I had to read it to her. She LOVED it.
Too bad the leading adults in the country can't be Honest, Fair, Strong and Wise, like the book suggests...
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