America's Story--Background Readings

I teach a four year Humanities Program that consists of one year of ancient literature and history (with an emphasis on Greeks and Romans), one year of Medieval literature and history, one year of the Modern World, and one year focusing on the American experience.

I am now beginning to turn my attention to the upcoming year where I will be teaching "The American Story." When I looked back over the last several years, I discovered that I have read quite a few books that will hopefully enrich my understanding of our nation's history. Here are some books to take notice of

Surveys or Analyses of American History
America: The Last Best Hope, Vol. 1 and America: The Last Best Hope, Volume II by William Bennett. This two-volume history is an outstanding narrative account of America. The perspective is conservative and it highlights Christian influences. There are, as always, points I disagree with, but that does not distract from the quality of both books.

God and Gold: Britain, America, and the Making of the Modern Worldby Walter Russell Mead
This is an amazing analysis of how Britain and America, the maritime powers (which historically includes the Netherlands) have dominated history and defeated their rivals. Both countries have developed dynamic and open societies, with an interaction between Scripture, tradition, and reason.

Leviathan: A History of Whaling in America by Eric Jay Dolin
Largely a history of a particularly risky and lucrative business venture during the 1800s, this book supplements that American classic Moby Dick by presenting the historical and economic aspects of whaling.


Colonial America

Big Chief Elizabeth by Giles Martin
This is a great account of the earliest, and often unsuccessful, efforts of the English to establish settlements in the New World. In reading this book, I was amazed that Jamestown actually succeeded.

The Scratch of a Pen: 1763 and the Transformation of America by Colin Calloway. Ever wonder what happened right after the French & Indian War? This book deals with the changes in the relationships between the American colonists, the Indians, and the British. This book supplements that period of history which is usually consumed with background causes of the American War for Independence.


The Founding Era—From the War for Independence to the Washington Years

The Guns of Independence: The Siege of Yorktown by Jerome A. Greene
Greene is a national park historian and writes as such, with attention to every detail of the trenches and redoubts. But because Yorktown is such a powerful story in the American experience, the book still has much power.

The Perils of Peace: America’s Struggle for Survival After Yorktown
By Thomas Fleming
We often mentally skip from Yorktown to the Peace Treaty, but there were two years between those events and many obstacles before peace was achieved.

The Great Upheaval: America and the Birth of the Modern World by Jay Winik
America won its independence and developed a republican form of government at a time when France was experiencing the horrors of a bloody revolution and Russia was under the control of a repressive monarch, Catherine the Great.

John Witherspoon and the Founding of the American Republic by Jeffrey H. Morrison. This is a serious study of the most self-conscious political Calvinist and patriot theologian of the American founding era.

American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republicby Joseph Ellis. Along with his book Founding Brothers, this book joins a host of good studies of the Founding Fathers.

The Federalist Papers in Modern Language by Mary Webster.
Webster’s revisions help one make it through the long, long series of brilliant, prophetic, naïve, and laborious essays of Hamilton and Madison—and Jay.

Christianity and the Constitution by John Eidsmoe.
This book provides a helpful overview of the theological culture of early America and the Christian influences on our Founders.

America to the War Between the States

American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham
This study recently won its author a Pulitzer Prize. It is a useful look at that powerful, enigmatic, controversial, and Presbyterian President Andrew Jackson.

Melville by Elizabeth Hardwick
This is a weak and brief biography of that great American author, Herman Melville. Still, it is helpful as a starting point.


The War Between the States

All Things for Good—The Steadfast Fidelity of Stonewall Jacksonby Steven Wilkins. This biography is part of the Cumberland House Leaders in Action Series. It provides a good overview of the faith and convictions of a great Southern general.


Twentieth Century Political History

Princeton Seminary: Volume 2 by David Calhoun.
This is a wonderful and tragic account of a great seminary and theological tradition. In the early part of the twentieth century, the glory departed.

Liberal Fascism: The secret history of the American Left from Mussolini to the politics of meaning by Jonah Goldberg
Incredible history, especially of the Wilson, FDR, and other Presidential administrations.

A Conservative History of the American Left by Daniel J. Flynn
Another incredibly good book. The Left has repeatedly been peopled by crazies.

Happy Days are Here Again by Stephen Neal
This is a fun political history of the fight for the Democratic nomination in 1932. FDR clinched that nomination, but our history would have been drastically different if Texan John Nance Garner had been the Democratic Presidential nominee.


A Glorious Disaster: Barry Goldwater’s Presidential Campaign and the Origins of the Conservative Movementby J. William Middendorf II
Great fun reading of the incredible accomplishment of the guys who got Goldwater nominated and then the awful campaign that followed.

The Making of the President 1968 by Theodore H. White
Teddy White was a great political reporter. He was one of the old style good and patriotic liberals. 1968 was an incredible and terrible year. Conservative that I am, I still admire the man who almost became President that year--Hubert Humphrey.

Eugene McCarthy: The Rise and Fall of Postwar American Liberalism by Dominic Sandbrook
Enjoyable biography of a really quirky, truly brilliant political figure who ultimately squandered his life. McCarthy was a key player in the 1968 election.

Senator Sam Ervin: The Last Founding Father by Karl Campbell
Great study of a great defender of the Constitution. Sam Ervin achieved fame during the Watergate Scandal hearings.

Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism by Paul Kegnor.
Since we once again have a President with an agenda, it is refreshing to look at one who had a good agenda and who fulfilled much of it.

Dawgs

In May, my daughter Caroline came running in the house to tell us that there were some puppies down at the end of our driveway. We went down there and found two black puppies. Caroline insisted that there were four of them. I got my dog, Scamper, and took him down to sniff through the weeds and bushes. Sure enough we found the other two puppies.


Caroline and Nate (in Veritas Academy shirts) providing some attention to four lost pups.

These pups had just been weaned, but had not been handled or touched by humans. One of them cried in agony when we picked him up. I was afraid he was hurt, but he was merely frightened.

Within a hour, the four pups had food, a place to sleep, three nurses (Caroline, Nate, and TaraJane), and names--Samuel (who was the fattest, biggest, and had curly hair), Shasta (from The Horse and His Boy), Aravis (from the same book), and George (from the Curious George stories).

Caroline commanded a promise from me: "Promise me you won't take them to the pound."

I enjoyed watching my kids play with the dogs and watching the dogs playing with each other, eating (like pigs), and sleeping curled up in black heaps. But I knew we could not add an extra four dogs onto the household. At least the pups seemed to have--somewhere in their questionable bloodlines--some Labrador and they were all cute and cuddly. So we put out word that we had free dogs for good homes. Thankfully, one family took Shasta and Aravis and another took Samuel. That left George, who became "Poor George" or "George the Reject."

Well, what's another dog? George has found a home here at the House Animal Rescue Center. If you have any dogs you don't want...don't leave them here.

I nearly forgot: My blog is supposed to be about books, conservative politics, Reformed theology, and country music. Here is the tie in: Groucho Marx said, "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.



George enjoying his status of going from litter reject to pick of the litter.

Readings of Late

JUST FINISHING:
Not an easy read for one unfamiliar with the twists and turns of Dutch theological and church battles of the twentieth century. Schilder is one of those principled Calvinists whose love of God and the Reformed Faith makes him a hero for our age. He was, to use Arkansas vernacular, "done wrong" in his time. The Nazis imprisoned him for his courageous opposition, but the cruelest blows came from his fellow churchmen who deposed him from the ministry in 1944. Remember that this man is living and literally in hiding during the time period when the Nazis were occupying the Netherlands. (He is a contemporary with Corrie Ten Boom, whose story The Hiding Place has blessed many.) Churchmen got together during the war and deposed this man from the ministry, without him being able to appear and defend himself. This book is a sad commentary on how Christ's Body disgraces the Savior. In spite of this meanness, Schilder's lifelong mission was to see the Unity of the Church. This book is carried by Inheritance Press in Canada, a worthy publisher of great Reformed books.



JUST STARTING:
Joseph Ellis has written several really useful books on the Founding Fathers and the beginnings of our nation. His book, Founding Brothers, is an outstanding work. His biography of George Washington is quite engaging and has a characteristic rare for Washington biographies, for it is relatively brief.

Nero Biography Reprinted

Nero: Makers of History
Written by Jacob Abbott—updated for younger readers!
Foreword by Ben House

Nero! The name is both a shame and a shudder. In his life we are presented with an astonishing picture of human greed, cunning, and selfishness at its worst. And thanks to his prominent position, Nero's example of monstrosity has stood as a lesson and a warning to all men since. Born of Agrippina, of whom only such a son was worthy, he ran the gamut of every human crime and folly, making the Roman Empire minister to his atrocities. When he died, escaping human vengeance at the end, he lamented that so splendid a genius should have to pass away.

This thrilling biography—written by Jacob Abbott and newly edited for younger readers—offers a glimpse into the life of this spoiled prince who became a royal monster.

Nero is part of Makers of History, a 19th century biography series by two brothers—Jacob and John S.C. Abbott. Reprinted by Canon Press, these biographies have been edited and brought up-to-date for readers twelve and up. Not only are these editions given vintage style paperback covers, but they also include introductions that explain where these men and women fit into the timeline of history.

Reformed and Presbyterian Movies?

Have you noticed how many Catholic movies there are? The whole notion got me to thinking about the scarcity of movies favorably treating Presbyterian and Reformed Christians.

I have made a list of such. Let me know if you think of others.

1. A Man Called Peter. This 1955 movie, based on the book with the same title, tells the story of the Scottish Presbyterian pastor who served in a pastorate in Washington, D.C. and served as the Senate chaplain. His is largely remembered today because of his wife, Catherine Marshall, who was a successful author, and his son, Peter Marshall, Jr., who has been involved in researching the Christian roots of American history. This is one of those "heart-warming" films of the past.

2. Cromwell. Starring Richard Harris as the great Puritan military leader and Lord Protector, this movie is a really well done bit of historical drama. Lots of facts and accuracy are sacrificed, but the main contours of the story of the Puritan Revolution and the English Civil War are powerful presented. Alec Guinness put in an outstanding performance in this movie as King Charles I, the counter-part to Cromwell.

3. Chariots of Fire. This movie which featured the faith and running skills of the Flying Scotsman, Eric Liddell, is perhaps the best film presentation of the Calvinistic worldview as exemplified in personal Christianity. Much of the greatness is through the contrast the movie makes between the Liddell the Calvinist and Sabbatarian and another runner whose motivation is self-centered.

4. Lady Jane. This is a sad and beautiful movie that tells the story of Lady Jane Grey, the girl who for a period of nine days was the Queen of England after the death of the Protestant young, sickly King Edward VI (son of Henry VIII). Lady Jane was dedicated to the Reformed faith for spiritual reasons; her family, however, was in favor of the political side of the Reformed faith as a means of their gaining power.

5. The Hiding Place. This has long been a favorite movie in Christian circles. Corrie Ten Boom's family were Dutch Reformed Christians. The movie is a testimony to their faith and particularly a powerful picture of Corrie's struggle with Providence as she witnessed the horrors of a concentration camp and the death of her sisters. This movie shows why, providentially, fleas and lice live and move and have their being from God.

6. Gods and Generals. This movie is a bit long, but it powerfully portrays the faith of General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. The General was one of history's best military geniuses and he was a staunch Presbyterian Calvinist and deacon. His abiding faith in his dying days after he was wounded during his most successful battle is perhaps the most moving part of this film.

7. Luther. Both the 1955 and 2003 versions of Luther's life are outstanding. Both aptly portray Luther's personal struggles and the greater issues that brought about the Reformation.

With so many good people from history who were of the Reformed faith, it is ashamed that I cannot come up with more than 7 (or 8 if you count Luther twice) movies.

Any other nominations?