The Fourth of July holiday is incomplete for me without recognizing and remembering some of the great men and women who helped in the establishment and continuance of the United States of America. My favorite American President has always been George Washington and I find a visit to Washington D.C. unthinkable without going to Mount Vernon. However, as of late, thanks to some great reading and perhaps our family's experience of living in the South surrounded by Civil War sites, Abraham Lincoln has been elevated to new heights. No matter their numerical distinction, I am in awe of their mighty contributions then and now. It was Leo Tolstoy who wrote concerning Lincoln, "[He] was bigger than his country---bigger than all the Presidents together. Why? Because he loved his enemies as himself...he was a Christ in minature, a saint of humanity, whose name will live thousands of years."
Those who know me, know of my love for American history (thus the American Studies major). My favorite reads include just about anything nonfiction in this genre. My recommendations for reading something patriotic and very American are listed below.
Bonds of Affection (Matthew S. Holland)
Team of Rivals (Doris Goodwin Kearns)
With Malice Toward None (Stephen B. Oates)
Mary Todd Lincoln (Jean Baker)
Martha Washington (Patricia Brady)
Founding Mothers (Cokie Robertson)
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
His Excellency, George Washington (Joseph Ellis)
Founding Brothers (Joseph Ellis)
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