Patriotic Grace: What It Is and Why We Need It Now (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: White House, Old America, New America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In this long season of searing political attacks and angry partisan passions, Peggy Noonan's Wall Street Journal column has been must reading for thoughtful liberals and conservatives alike.

Now she issues an urgent, heartfelt call for all Americans to see each other anew, realize what time it is, and come together to support the next President—whoever he is. Because it is not the threats and challenges we face, but how we face them that defines us as a nation.

The terrible events of 9/11 brought us together in a way not seen since World War II. But the stresses and divisions of the Bush years have driven us apart to a point that is unhealthy and destructive.

Today, Noonan argues, the national mood is for a change in our politics and it is well past time for politicians to catch up. Americans are tired of the old partisan divisions and the campaign tricks that seek to widen and exploit them. We long for leaders who can summon us to greatness and unity, as they did in the long struggles against fascism and communism.

In this timely little book, written in the pamphleteering tradition of Tom Paine's Common Sense, Noonan reminds us that we must face our common challenges together—not by rising above partisanship, but by reaffirming what it means to be American.

About the Author

Peggy Noonan is the best-selling author of seven books on American politics, history, and culture. Her essays have appeared in Time, Newsweek, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and other publications. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Harper; 1 edition (September 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061735825
• ISBN-13: 978-0061735820
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #207,572 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb analysis of the need for change in America, October 4, 2008

By	Theodore A. Rushton (PHOENIX, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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Without a shadow of doubt, Peggy Noonan is the finest writer when it comes to describing politics, social conditions and personal attitudes of Americans.

She is a gem. This book is her eighth and finest yet. In addition to her facile intellect she presents a genuine cry from the heart about the tragedy of America today. After 9/11, Americans and the world united in support. Now, Noonan writes, "If we had a major terrorist attack tomorrow, half the country -- more than half -- would not completely trust the federal government to do what it has to do, would not trust it to tell the truth, would not trust it, period."

It's not surprising. Noonan was a speechwriter for President Reagan whose philosophy was, "Government is the problem." Now she seems utterly amazed that Americans think government is a problem, not a solution.

It leads me to wonder: What if Winston Churchill, after being named Prime Minister in May 1940 and with Panzers closing in on the British army at Dunquerque, had not said, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." Instead, citing his predecessors, what if he said government was the problem and advised, "Let's go down to the pub and have a Boddy or two."

True to her Reaganesque roots, Noonan still blames government. She's brilliant at this one-note song of sorrow, which makes her book very timely reading. She could be part of the solution if she'd go beyond her anti-government mood and think about how to make government effective and trustworthy again.

Harry Truman did it, when America faced much wider and far more dangerous challenges. Perhaps she's at her limit as a journalist -- defining problems but trusting others to maturely find solutions.

"The greatest generation" of journalists always had quick and ready solutions; journalists today are stuck with whining about problems but never offering solutions. They seem to fear perhaps being wrong. Noonan is as astute as any at such whining; that alone makes her book one of the best and most relevant for today's America.

Noonan writes, "It's beyond 'The president is overwhelmed.' The entire government is overwhelmed." Nonsense. If the government is truly overwhelmed, then America is finished. The answer is to make it work, not to whine about difficulties. Did Churchill whine? Former Sen. Phil Gramm, a McCain advisor, is absolutely right about America becoming a nation of whiners. It's time to stop whining and start working.

This book is a vital start. Buy it. Read it. Loan it to friends. Discuss it. Praise it. Condmen it. It will launch an intelligent conversation among caring people about the nature of America tomorrow.

Noonan offers a magnificent portrait of America today. However, instead of the feel-good "It's morning in America" complacency, the next president must offer some blood, toil, tears and sweat. It's a challenge Americans always respond to with magnificent courage, determination, effort and patriotism.

Noonan is brilliant. America is even better.

37 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Peppered with Insight, September 30, 2008

By	Michael P. Maslanka (dallas, texas United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You read Noonan and you stumble on one of her insights, put the book down, and think to yourself "Yeah, that's right. I never quite saw it that way before." Illustration: the presidency has changed because Bush and Clinton personalized it so that it stopped being about the office and started being about them.Bingo. The passage on the messages and calls made by those who were about to die on the 9-11 flights makes you want to cry. Noonan is right: "crisis is a great editor." They said what needed to be said, what mattered, and not one of their words was wasted or mean spirited. She is fair. On Bush and landing the plane on the carrier deck for the Mission Accomplished speech, she smacks their arrogance, saying "they were looking for trouble." On the Dems and Iraq---they looked for a way to oppose it without any political cost."There is always a cost." Her tone is sad yet hopeful. Her Big Idea? Judge Learned Hand said:the spirit of liberty is the spirit that is never sure that it is always right. I'd think she'd embrace that. Give her new one a read.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hopeful optimism when fear grips the heart, October 12, 2008

By	Bill Wood "Perimeter reader" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

I have just invested the better part of a Sunday afternoon reading the new Peggy Noonan book, Patriotic Grace. Through the years I have enjoyed her gracious pen taken to topics, many of which I agreed and some which I felt she was far too gracious, only to find myself moderating my strident position. Since 9/11 it is apparent that things changed for Ms. Noonan and this has been reflected in her writing. Indeed, it appeared that everything had changed for all of us as Americans after 9/11. I remember well members of Congress standing on the steps of the Capitol affirming their love and support for America. I remember the flags, I remember the prayers, I remember the extraordinary efforts that ordinary Americans made to reach out to people whose roots extended to the Middle East. I was profoundly moved to see America find its soul when so many souls had perished. Of course there was and will always be a radical element that decides that it was an "inside job". There will always be those among us who represent the darker side of our family. I know it is impossible to win those people over to any sense of a greater good reality.

However, Ms. Noonan's call is for us to do the very thing that it seems it has become impossible to do today, have civil, if somewhat spirited, conversation. As the books unfolds, one cannot help but feel her anxiety, her sense of intuition that hard times are coming. Calling upon that great lion of the Democrat Party that we conservatives have loved to hate through the years, Teddy Kennedy (p.124) when he speaks in a moment of unguarded honesty among family, "I'm glad I'm not going to be around when you guys are my age."..."Because when you guys are my age, the whole thing is going to fall apart." Even the most cynical among us need to consider these words. Regardless what one may think about Sen. Kennedy, these are words of deep importance. "If I am right that we are facing a hard time, and if deep in your heart you believe we're going to face a bad time, why don't all of us think about it a lot?" "Because it is too big." (p. 138)

This is not about some Republican who senses that defeat is around the corner and there will be lynchings enough to go around beginning with Cheney and of course Bush. It is bigger than the small pea-brained intramural sport that politics has become. This is more than following your favorite college team. As Americans we must recognize that our elected representatives are men and women with clay feet and while insider information has the effect of making one seem wiser than citizens, it does not necessarily make anyone smarter or more capable to discern the complexity that we face as a people and as a nation. When we as citizens of this great nation abdicate to our hired representatives all decisions without hearing our voice we will get what we deserve. The beauty of our system of government is that government works for us, not us for it!

"We have been asking a great deal of the mere mortals who lead us. And while we ask too much of them we keep them from doing- we allow them to avoid doing-the primary thing we need them to do well, which is to know what time it is and act accordingly." (p. 135)

Without question Noonan's call for grace will fall on many deaf ears. As I survey the books on my shelf I see other books by theologians and sociologist calling for a renewed civility. If we fail to grasp the importance of this, we will kill ourselves from the inside out. I join Noonan in seeking to "try in a renewed way, each day, and within my abilities, to be fair." (p.40) If a leftist blogger thinks that is evidence of bad faith, I will extend grace and hope that they too will own their culpability in the disruption of civil conversation. This book will likely irritate the hardcore Republican who feel as though they are always the one being asked to moderate their deeply held convictions. Listen to the words, let them speak to your sensibilities. We can disagree and not be disagreeable. The stakes are too high to do otherwise.

Read this book.