Customer Reviews

From Hope to Higher Ground: 12 STEPS to Restoring America's Greatness

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First of all, there's an authentic humility and appreciation for others in the book. That's a quality increasingly difficult to find in public figures, much less in politicians.

The beginning of the book paints Huckabee's childhood in Hope, the small Arkansas city that also played a significant role in Clinton's life. Huckabee says Hope in the 1950s was the kind of place where if he did something wrong eight blocks from home, by the time he got there numerous people would have called his parents to report his behavior. He claims Hope is a large part of who he is and it was his roots there which formed much of his character.

While the title of the book may seem to imply more of a public policy recommendation and treatise (which is also what this book is about) - this book is just as much an autobiography and therefore a 'life story' of Huckabee.

As Huckabee recounts the people who've had an influence on him he mentions his drama and speech teacher who shaped his approach to life and instilled passion and conviction. He goes on to mention Haskell Jones who gave him a spirit of patriotism and civic-mindedness. And he writes about the Garrett's who impacted him spiritually.

In short, it's the story of a small town, and how that town poured itself into a person and how that person poured himself into a state.

I have been given a wonderful advantage in reading this book: I have known Mike Huckabee for about 14 years and served on his staff for over four years. (See customer picture)

What strikes me most about him is his genuineness, his true concern for people and his firm convictions. Most politicians ask consultants and examine polls to determine what they believe. Those beliefs change with the changing of the wind. Mike Huckabee is not most politicians.

As you read this book, I'm sure you will find yourself agreeing with his common sense approach to important issues. You will plainly see the leader I called Governor. You will also see my friend, a friend I could literally trust with my life and livelihood.

Mike Huckabee could be President and when you read this book, I believe you will agree.

Review by Larry Toller, author: "My Story Your Story His Story" Foreword by Mike Huckabee (available at amazon.com)

Having already read Huckabee's book, "Character Makes a Difference," I knew that the governor was a good writer. However I wasn't prepared for the depth of his political insights and breadth of governmental acumen. He can both talk the talk and walk the walk. He has measurably helped his own state, and it looks to me like he could help the whole country.

What a concept! A politician with integrity and humility. I hope we get to vote for him in the fall. You don't have to agree with everything he says, but it would make real good sense to listen to everything he says. He has been there and done that and in a difficult and unfriendly setting.

I'm on the bandwagon!

Gov. Huckabee's From Hope to Higher Ground is eminently readable and insightful.

"Hope" refers to Hope, Arkansas, where Gov. Huckabee is from. "Higher Ground" can be a metaphor for many things, including improving ourselves, improving our families, and improving our nation, not to mention to Gov. Huckabee's presidential ambitions. It is a metaphor that works well in this quick 196-page read.

The book gives us 12 "Stops" to restoring America's greatness. The stops refer to things that we must stop doing, which is interesting because the book not only serves to introduce us to Gov. Huckabee's beliefs and political positions, but provides us with sound advice. The book will thus have resonance beyond 2008, as do, I am sure, his earlier titles: Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork and Character Makes a Difference.

For instance, we should stop "being cynical," stop "abusing our planet," stop "robbing the taxpayers," stop "the heat and turn on the light for hot issues," stop "the loss of America's prestige at home and abroad," and-my favorite-stop "being a selfish citizen," among others. Gov. Huckabee interweaves into each chapter specific standards we ought to hold our political leaders accountable to and specific principles by which we ought to be governed. He also tells stories from his life, including his ten-and-a-half years as Governor of Arkansas, to illustrate his stops. At the end of each chapter, Gov. Huckabee lists "12 Action Steps" to stop doing whatever the subject of the chapter is. For example, in "STOP the Culture of Chronic Disease," he lists, "Eliminate processed sugar from your diet as much as possible, if not totally;" in "STOP Being Cynical," he lists "have regular conversations with people very unlike you." I appreciate the specificity of the suggestions, which tell us much about the type of person Gov. Huckabee strives to be.

Gov. Huckabee comes across in this book-which he wrote without a ghost writer-exactly like he comes across in debates, speeches, and campaign stops: articulate, humorous, kind, humble, and right on the important issues of the day. If you are interested at all in Gov. Huckabee's campaign, this book will give you good insight into the man. If you are not interested in his campaign, this book will still give you good insight into "restoring America's greatness."

Mike Huckabee is the kind of guy you want as a neighbor and a friend, but it's hard to really get behind him as a political leader and someone you might want as President. His logic is simple and almost undeniable, but in today's media driven political reality, they are naive. Still, I'd feel comfortable in the world he describes and desires.

I bought this book thinking it would be Mike Huckabee's plan for improving the United States from his position in political leadership. While he does touch on things he has done as governor of Arkansas, this book is moreso about what you, me, and everyone can do to make a difference.

As Huckabee explains, maybe you can't personally cause peace in the Middle East, or maybe you personally can't eliminate the U.S. national debt, but there are all sorts of things that you can do to make your life better, and the lives of those around you.

A great read, and worth reading frequently.

Governor Mike Huckabee has had to learn how to get along with Democrats in Arkansas if he wanted to get anything done. And his book gives you an inside look at how he approaches political dialogue and how he thinks we should be talking about these matters beyond the borders of Arkansas. Aristotle said nothing improves your aim like having a target, and the Governor has set targets, 12 of them, with sub-parts, that you could concur with or reject but that you have to respect as well-considered. At the core of the Governor's approach is a code of faith and ethics that he tries to apply to himself and his public conduct. Of course, that's refreshing when we see all around us the corrosive effect of our institutions on public figures in a bi-partisan way. The Governor describes how he disciplined himself to take charge of his diet and his weight in an ever-fattening America. If America heeded his advice on this one subject alone, we would improve this nation's well-being. While I don't agree with all that the Governor says, this is worth the read for his fine writing style and because this is the kind of discussion we should be having in this nation, about solutions, instead of ad-hominem attacks on the character of our public figures. You remember that old song: Accentuate the positive, Decentuate the negative, and watch out for Mr. In-between. "The positive" in a nation facing challenges is hard and tough discussion about how we handle these problems, and Governor Huckabee has made a contribution to that debate.

As I consider whom I am going to support for President in 2012, my research includes reading the written word of various potential candidates, one of those being Mike Huckabee. He wrote this book while the Governor of Arkansas. Like Ronald Reagan, Huckabee has selected a list of subjects he feels a President should tackle. That's the basis for this book, the dozen topics he feels are critical for our Nation's future success. And at the end of each chapter, he offers a list of twelve actions he suggests we as citizens pursue to aid in this recovery. It's an easy, breezy read. It's like listening to a Huckabee speech or a monologue from his Fox network TV show. He lays it out straight in language we can all understand. His philosophy is to the political right and he makes clear cases for financial, moral, and family recovery. It would be great if we coulld wave a magic wand and have the issues facing America solved by his methods. But sadly, it isn't going to happen. My thoughts after reading this book: Mike Huckabee is a nice man. Maybe too nice. I feel like I know him better for reading it, which - after all - is the reason I read it.

I purchased this book and had it mailed directly to my 90 year old dad in Florida. He thought it was very informative and gave him detailed information that he didn't know before. My father is very patriotic and was delighted to say the least.

Huckabee is inspiring and writes in an easy conversational style. You will never be bored! It's wonderful to see a man so full of integrity in this day of crooked politicians!