Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This? Guidelines for Selecting Books Consistent With the Principles of America's Founders (An Uncle Eric Book) [Paperback]

Richard J. Maybury (Author), Jane A. Williams (Editor), Kathryn Daniels (Editor)

Book Description

Series: An Uncle Eric Book | Publication Date: June 1, 2004

"Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This?" offers many insights. It teaches principles of economics and government in bite-sized nuggets, and gives indicators for spotting the philosophical slant of most writers and media commentators on the subjects of law, history, economics and literature. For ages 12 through adult. Can be used for courses in Economics, Business, Finance, Government and History.

Table of Contents for Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This?
Uncle Eric's Model of How the World Works
Quantity Discounts Available
Author's Disclosure
How to Use This Book
Evaluating Books
America's Founders

Negative Indicators
Issue #1. The Great Depression
Issue #2. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal
Issue #3. Progressive Taxes
Issue #4. Robber Baron Capitalists
Issue #5. Governments Aren't Greedy
Issue #6. Child Labor Laws
Issue #7. Farmers Had Happier Lives
Issue #8. Poverty and Crime
Issue #9. Wage-and-Price Spiral
Issue #10. Needs of Society
Issue #11. Isolationism
Issue #12. Unions Saved Workers
Issue #13. Social Security is Beneficial
Issue #14. War
Issue #15. Sacrifice
Issue #16. The Founders Motives Were Corrupt

Misleading Terms

Positive Indicators
Indicator #1. Quality of Life
Indicator #2. Individualism
Indicator #3. Accomplishment Deserves Reward
Indicator #4. Higher Law Exists
Indicator #5. Heroes Use Brain Not Brawn
Indicator #6. Evidence vs. Opinion
Indicator #7. Objective Truth
Indicator #8. Tanstaafl
Indicator #9. Overcome Problems & Move Forward

Examples
The Great Thanksgiving Hoax
A Tribute to the Statue of Ellis Island
The Founding Fathers: Smugglers, Tax Evaders, and Traitors?
Recommended Authors
Organizations
About Richard J. Maybury
Index

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'Evaluating Books' will be an eye-opener for most homeschooling parents. Written in an easy-to-follow format, parents will become much more aware of the slant of many texts and will be able to teach their children to be even more discerning. Christian parents should be particularly interested in Mr. Maybury's ideas as he strongly advocates return to laws of a higher power rather than government laws. --Martha Robinson, Reviewer for HomeschoolChristian.com

"'Evaluating Books' will be an eye-opener for most homeschooling parents. Written in an easy-to-follow format, parents will become much more aware of the slant of many texts and will be able to teach their children to be even more discerning. Christian parents should be particularly interested in Mr. Maybury's ideas as he strongly advocates return to laws of a higher power rather than government laws. --Martha Robinson, Reviewer for HomeschoolChristian.com

"'Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This?' is a perfect follow-up for 'Whatever happened to Penny Candy?' and 'Whatever Happened to Justice?' More than a 'book guide,' it teaches basic principles of economics and government in bite-size nuggets - with examples." --Cathy Duffy, Author Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual

"'Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This?' is a perfect follow-up for 'Whatever happened to Penny Candy?' and 'Whatever Happened to Justice?' More than a 'book guide,' it teaches basic principles of economics and government in bite-size nuggets - with examples." --Cathy Duffy, Author Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual

"'Evaluating Books' will be an eye-opener for most homeschooling parents. Written in an easy-to-follow format, parents will become much more aware of the slant of many texts and will be able to teach their children to be even more discerning. Christian parents should be particularly interested in Mr. Maybury's ideas as he strongly advocates return to laws of a higher power rather than government laws. --Martha Robinson, Reviewer for HomeschoolChristian.com

"'Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This?' is a perfect follow-up for 'Whatever happened to Penny Candy?' and 'Whatever Happened to Justice?' More than a 'book guide,' it teaches basic principles of economics and government in bite-size nuggets - with examples." --Cathy Duffy, Author Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual

"'Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This?' is a perfect follow-up for 'Whatever happened to Penny Candy?' and 'Whatever Happened to Justice?' More than a 'book guide,' it teaches basic principles of economics and government in bite-size nuggets - with examples." --Cathy Duffy, Author Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual

"'Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This?' is a perfect follow-up for 'Whatever happened to Penny Candy?' and 'Whatever Happened to Justice?' More than a 'book guide,' it teaches basic principles of economics and government in bite-size nuggets - with examples." --Cathy Duffy, Author Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual

"'Evaluating Books' will be an eye-opener for most homeschooling parents. Written in an easy-to-follow format, parents will become much more aware of the slant of many texts and will be able to teach their children to be even more discerning. Christian parents should be particularly interested in Mr. Maybury's ideas as he strongly advocates return to laws of a higher power rather than government laws. --Martha Robinson, Reviewer for HomeschoolChristian.com

"'Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This?' is a perfect follow-up for 'Whatever happened to Penny Candy?' and 'Whatever Happened to Justice?' More than a 'book guide,' it teaches basic principles of economics and government in bite-size nuggets - with examples." --Cathy Duffy, Author Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual

About the Author

Richard J. Maybury, also known as Uncle Eric, is a world renowned author, lecturer, and geopolitical analyst. He consults with business firms in the U.S. and Europe. Maybury is the former Global Affairs editor of "Moneyworld" and widely regarded as one of the finest free-market writers in America. Mr. Maybury's articles have appeared in "The Wall Street Journal," "USA Today," and other major publications. Richard J. Maybury has penned eleven books in the Uncle Eric series. His books have been endorsed by top business leaders including former U.S. Treasury Secretary William Simon, and he has been interviewed on more than 250 radio and TV shows across America. He is truly a teacher for all ages.

Product Details

• Paperback: 122 pages
• Publisher: Bluestocking Pr; 2nd edition (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0942617533
• ISBN-13: 978-0942617535
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #393,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #77 in Books > Teens > Education & Reference > Reference

More About the Author

Richard Maybury, also known as Uncle Eric, is a world renowned author, lecturer, and geopolitical analyst. He consults with business firms in the U.S. and Europe. Mr. Maybury is the former Global Affairs editor of "Moneyworld" and widely regarded as one of the finest free-market writers in America. Mr. Maybury's articles have appeared in "The Wall Street Journal", "USA Today", and other major publications. He has penned eleven books in the Uncle Eric series. His books have been endorsed by top business leaders, including former U.S. Treasury Secretary William Simon, and he has been interviewed on more than 250 radio and TV shows across America.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sixth in a Series of Nine Books that can Change Your Life!, December 29, 2002

By 

J. P. Ledbetter "Jim Ledbetter Sr." (Ridgecrest, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This? : Guidelines for Selecting Books Consistent With the Principles of America's Founder (Maybury, Rick. "Uncle Eric" Book.) (Paperback)

I have continued to read Mr. Maybury's books and the first five have filled me with knowledge and wonder at how uninformed I have been in the past about simple and basic issues that touch, influence and determine the coarse of a persons life each and evey day.

I have learned a great deal from his obvious intellectual prowess and his all encompassing views on many subjects and how they mesh together to form, affect and manipulate this world we live in.

One gets a sense of awe at how little they can trust those in power but how immensly important is it is that those without it stick together and ensure we be ever vigilante in our observations of elected officials. Those people we used to call public servants but who hav become nothing but self-indulgent life lont politicians. In other words they have become exactly what our Constitution and Bill of Rights were designed to prevent.

In this book, "What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This?" I have found yet another source of knowledge that I must thank Uncle Eric for. Yet after reading the great book "John Adams." I do not find that I have the awe and inspiration that allows me to make Jefferson my number one hero. Yes, he is a great man and I believe he was one of the greatest founders, however I find that I still place him behing George Washington and Adams on that account.

It is my philosophy just like it was Reverend Johathan Mayhew's and John Adam's that "The people, are required to obey their government's law only when it is in agreement with Higher Law. And if the government violates that charge, it is our duty, and we are bound the fight it with every resourse at our disposal."

In a related topic Mayhew was a true Reverend, and it is unfortunate that the term has been turned into such a basphemous title today for those who use and claim the name are anything but Reverend.

In any case this 6th book in Mr. Maybury's series is yet another collectors item and gives the reader a sound foundation by which to judge the literature they choose to absorb and contemplate in creating their own ideological awareness and positions of items of critical importance to our country and our people.

5.0 out of 5 stars highly recommended to those wishing to more critically evaluate media, January 20, 2012

By 

kaw (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This? Guidelines for Selecting Books Consistent With the Principles of America's Founders (An Uncle Eric Book) (Paperback)

The title of this book is perhaps a bit unfortunate given that the book is so much more than guidelines for selecting books, and also that many people today think (and criticize) more about Jefferson's personal life than they do about his principals regarding government and economics and his work in forming this country. The book is about so much more than that!!! It should be noted that Maybury actually mentions twelve of the most notable Founding Fathers and using their principles to present "the other side of the story" to the viewpoint that is most prevalent (whether explicitly stated or not) in most media today. Maybury feels that most news media, school books, etc. come from a "statist" point of view, meaning, stated simply, that they believe "political power is good and everyone should have lots of it. Its benefits are greater than its costs, and it can solve our problems." Contrast this with the Founding Fathers who "hated political power, were afraid of it, and believed it was fundamentally evil. They believed the only 'real world' solution was to keep power widely dispersed and so limited that no one had much interest in it --it was virtually irrelevant." When one assesses any issue with both viewpoints in mind, they must engage in critical thinking. That is what Maybury wants to see.

Maybury provides tools for navigating through media that is largely from a statist point of view. He does not feel that most authors have formed some conspiracy to brainwash people, but rather that they do not know they are teaching concepts that are opposite of the original American philosophy. "They teach only what they were taught." He encourages parents and educators to explore both sides and enter into debates with their students, so that the students can come to understand both the statist and non-statist sides of a particular issue and come to be familiar with both. That will help the students understand better how to analyze the media they are met with on a daily basis. He does not oppose students being introduced to the statist perspective (though it is one that he personally does not believe in) but he feels they should be equipped with the analytical tools to understand that it, like all others, is a perspective, not an objective truth, and that our sources of knowledge should be viewed critically, not with mere acquiesce.

And this includes his own work.

Maybury begins his book with an Author's Disclosure, "For reasons I do not understand, writers today are supposed to be objective. Few disclose the viewpoints or opinions that they use to decide what information is important and what is not, or what shall be presented or omitted." He proceeds to outline his own bias, the one which influences his work, "I am biased in favor of liberty, free markets, and international neutrality." While I think it stands to reason that those who agree with Maybury here will find more to appreciate in his work, I think that the very fact he outlines his own bias is great and should, rather than turn-off those who don't agree, invite them into his work, because they know where he comes from. Naturally, most of the other sources he includes also support his perspective. But, that's just it: it is a perspective. Readers equipped with the critical thinking skills Maybury promotes here will be able to evaluate his work just as they do others. We all come to current events, politics, etc. with our values in place. What helps us grow and mature as human beings is to be able to look at other perspectives--as well as our own!--with critical thinking skills, trying to understand the other person's side of the argument not just ignore it in unyielding favor of our own.

Maybury explains that the danger in our current society is that most mainstream media never gives another side to the issue. His purpose in writing this book is to awaken students (and adults) to engage in critical thinking and research skills to be able to more keenly assess the information provided to them and to seek out less mainstream sources for an opposing viewpoint so that students can make the most informed and well-rounded choices about what they choose to believe and support.

I would recommend this heartily to high school students, especially those nearing graduation and voting age, as well as to adults who would find benefit in the material for themselves or for sharing with younger kids thorough dialogue.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for all ages!, September 22, 2011

By 

It's Me "Nancy" (Rolla, MO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evaluating Books: What Would Thomas Jefferson Think About This? Guidelines for Selecting Books Consistent With the Principles of America's Founders (An Uncle Eric Book) (Paperback)

Anything written by Richard Maybury is at the top of my read list! This book, like the others in the Uncle Eric series, is awesome!