Land of Hope

Listening on and off for several weeks while I was getting ready in the morning or cleaning house or cooking, I just finished the audio book of Land of Hope. 

This was recommended reading for my graduate class on Democracy in America at Belmont Abbey, but I was too busy reading and rereading the required primary sources like De Tocqueville and The Federalist Papers to read/listen to this during the term. 

However, with summer comes leisure time to luxuriate in reading all the books I don't have time for in the school year. 

Part way through this narrative, it occurred to me that I was really, really enjoying it. 

I also really, really enjoyed A Patriot's History of the United States, listening to that three times at least.  

I believe I like history as a narrative. It's as interesting as any novel, and why shouldn't it be? All the same interesting things happen, but in history, they have really happened. 

Now that I am done, I find I may like this narrative even more than A Patriot's History. 

This text seemed to be more critical of America's bad decisions, but nevertheless, respectful of America and how complicated the issues were. Therefore, it seems more balanced and honest, and I really appreciated that. 

We've used A Patriot's History in our homeschool as the text for America History, but I may use this in the future.  

I have a host of books on my to-be-read list, so I don't think I'll restart this book again right away, but I definitely want to listen again. 

I cherish the accumulated knowledge of the flow of America history from one age to another, one President to another, and throughout the major events in the timeline until today. 

A better knowledge of this country's history makes our present, problems included, so much more comprehensible and the future much less fearful.