The Founders' Almanac: A Practical Guide to the Notable Events, Greatest Leaders & Most Eloquent Words of the American Founding [Hardcover]

Matthew Spalding (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0891951040 | ISBN-13: 978-0891951049 | Publication Date: February 25, 2004 | Edition: 1St Edition

The Founders' Almanac is an easy-to-use guide to the origins of American democracy — focusing on information that is especially valuable for our day. The calendar describes important events of the era. Biographical essays introduce the leading Founders — including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams — and discuss the major themes of their statesmanship. An extensive compilation of quotations reflects the wit and wisdom of the Founding generation, and an annotated bibliography suggests additional readings. Historical documents — the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and Washington's Farewell Address — and interpretative essays reacquaint the reader with immortal words and their contemporary meaning.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'The Founders' Almanac' should be required reading for students of all ages to help them understand what the Founders thought and believed and how their ideas shaped America's virtues, principles, and character." -- William J. Bennett, author of "The Book of Virtues."

"The Founding Fathers had Plutarch, their guide to the thoughts and deeds of the great men of the ancient world. Now we have 'The Founders' Almanac,' a handy precis of essential lives and trenchant thoughts." --Richard Brookhiser, author of "Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington."

About the Author

Dr. Spalding is director of the B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies at The Heritage Foundation and is an adjunct fellow with the Claremont Institute. He is a co-author and a co-editor of books on George Washington. Spalding also serves on the Board of Academic Advisors at Mount Vernon Estate in Virginia.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Heritage Books; 1St Edition edition (February 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891951040
• ISBN-13: 978-0891951049
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #255,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #63 in Books > Education & Reference > Almanacs & Yearbooks > Almanacs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable resource, January 19, 2003

By 

Amazon.com Customer (Kyle, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Founders' Almanac: A Practical Guide to the Notable Events, Greatest Leaders & Most Eloquent Words of the American Founding (Hardcover)

I added this fine work to my library about 4 months ago and already the pages are showing signs of wear. I can't begin to say how many times I have turned to this fine work for a reference source.

Mr. Spalding has put together a very readable sourcebook. The book begins with a calendar of notable events, followed by six outstanding essays on six of America's most notable founders. All six essays come from different authors and each one is equally well written.

The last half of the book is devoted to notable quotations, founding documents and additional resources. The quotes are divided into numerous indexed categories. The documents, such as the Declaration of Independence, have quick reference sidebar notes. You won't regret adding this fine work to your personal library.