The American Patriot's Almanac: Daily Readings on America [Hardcover]

Dr. William J. Bennett (Author), John T.E. Cribb (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2008

365 reasons to love America!

The fife and drum of history mark the time of each passing day. And within their cadence, personalities, conflicts, discoveries, ideas, and nations peal and fade. American history is no different. From the starving time of Jamestown during the Winter of 1609, through the bloody argument of the Civil War, and to today, the United States is a tale best told one day at a time.

Best-selling author and educator Dr. William J. Bennett is a master of the story that is the United States. And in The American Patriot's Almanac, Bennett distills the American drama into three hundred sixty-five entries-one for each day of the year. Fascinating in its detail and singular in its grasp of the big themes, Bennett's Almanac will make anyone a fan of history, assembling even some of the most obscure details. Even better, it will make of everyone a patriot.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. William J. Bennett is one of America’s most influential and respected voices on cultural, political, and educational issues. Host of the top-ten nationally syndicated radio show Bill Bennett’s Morning in America, he is also the Washington Fellow of the Claremont Institute. He is the author and editor of more than twenty-five books.

John T.E. Cribb is president of the Palmetto Creative Group, a communications firm. His previous work includes co-authoring The Educated Child (with William J. Bennett and Chester E. Finn), co-editing The Human Odyssey, and developing online history courses. During the Reagan administration, he served at the Dept. of Justice and the Dept. of Education. He and his wife, Kirsten, have two daughters, Molly and Sarah.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595552677
• ISBN-13: 978-1595552679
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 1.8 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (251 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #290,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Education & Reference > Almanacs & Yearbooks > Almanacs

More About the Author

William J. Bennett served as Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President George H. W. Bush and as Secretary of Education and Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Reagan. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Williams College, a doctorate in political philosophy from the University of Texas, and a law degree from Harvard. He is the author of such bestselling books as The Educated Child, The Death of Outrage, The Book of Virtues, and the two-volume series America: The Last Best Hope. Dr. Bennett is the host of the nationally syndicated radio show Bill Bennett's Morning in America. He is also the Washington Fellow of the Claremont Institute and a regular contributor to CNN. He, his wife, Elayne, and their two sons, John and Joseph, live in Maryland.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

167 of 172 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Make American history and American Patriotism a part of your daily family discussion October 3, 2008

By Craig Matteson HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

This is another of William Bennett's reading resources for families. Yes, you can (and should) read this book as an individual, but it is more useful and more powerful when you take time to go through the daily readings as a family. You r kids need to become familiar with American history, and you cannot and must not leave it to the schools. Sure, not every detail will stick everyday. No big deal. Just going through each reading will at least get the sounds of the names, places, and events in their minds so they will provide resonance when they hear them at a time when they are prepared to take it in and remember it. I am sure you have had the experience of learning a new word and then finding everyone using it. They were using it all along, but you simply had not been familiar enough with it to hear the word. Then one day you were. Same thing here with the historical events discussed.

How is the book organized? There are 365 daily readings (I guess you get February 29th off every four years) that present a short article about a key historical event from American history that took place on that day. Many of these have a small engraving to also provide an image. At the bottom of the page is a list of other key events from that day and the year they occurred. The authors call this American History Parade.

There are also several other articles provided throughout the book. The first is an introduction to this book. The others are "Twelve Great Reasons to Love a Great Country", "Flags of the Revolutionary War", "The History of the Stars and Stripes", "Fifty All-American Movies", "Flag Etiquette: Guidelines for Displaying and Handling the U.S. Flag", "How the Declaration of Independence Was Written and Signed", "The Declaration of Independence", How the Constitution Was Written and Ratified", The Constitution of the United States", "The Bill of Rights", "Amendments to the U.S. Constitution Since the Bill of Rights", "The Gettysburg Address", "The Emancipation Proclamation", The Pledge of Allegiance", "The American's Creed", "Songs of American Patriotism", "Poems of American Patriotism", and "Prayers for the American People". I think this collection of articles is worth the price of the book all by themselves!

If you home school or actively participate in the education of your children, you can use this book as a terrific way to spark discussion and help build a collection of important facts in the minds of your children (and yourself). Just making reading, thinking, and talking about American history, patriotism, and the glory of America a part of your family's daily life will have great benefits and pay huge dividends in the lives of your family members.

I think this is a must have for your bookshelf.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars On Patriotism February 2, 2009

By Vicki A. Small

Format:Hardcover

The American Patriot's Almanac: Daily Readings on America

REVIEW OF: The American Patriot's Almanac: Daily Readings on America
Authors: William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: November 2008
515 pages

This Almanac is not a book with which the lover of reading is likely to curl up to devour by firelight. With 365 brief daily items or stories, it is meant to be read daily. However, anyone who enjoys learning about our nation's history will enjoy reading it and return to it, over and over again. The American Patriot's Almanac is full of good information, inspiration, and a number of important documents from America's history. While some are included in many history textbooks--e.g., the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights--this book is more complete for their inclusion.

One feature of this book that I enjoyed was the "American History Parade" at the end of each day's reading. This "Parade" lists approximately five events that took place on the same date in history, from distant to recent past. For example, on July 21, 1925, The Scopes "Monkey Trial" ended with the conviction of teacher John Scopes. On the same day in 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, of Apollo II, ended their visit to the moon.

Other items found between months include Flag Etiquette (p.183), Fifty All-American Movies (p. 138), both Songs and Poems of American Patriotism (pp. 368 and 421, respectively), and other documents we might expect to see here, including The Gettysburg Address and The American's Creed (pp. 329 and 336, respectively). The reader will also find the Code of Conduct for members of the U.S. armed forces (p. 328), authorized in 1955 by President Eisenhower. The authors explain that "The code is an ethical guide that instructs armed forces members when they are prisoners of war or are in danger of capture." Every American should familiarize him- or herself with this Code and consider what it requires of our fighting men and women.

The American Patriot's Almanac is a great book to pick up, from time to time, or to read daily, as its authors intended. Because it contains such a wide variety of gems within its pages, I recommend the book.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great way to make American History a part of your daily life November 14, 2008

By Craig Matteson HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

This is another of William Bennett's reading resources for families. Yes, you can (and should) read this book as an individual, but it is more useful and more powerful when you take time to go through the daily readings as a family. You r kids need to become familiar with American history, and you cannot and must not leave it to the schools. Sure, not every detail will stick everyday. No big deal. Just going through each reading will at least get the sounds of the names, places, and events in their minds so they will provide resonance when they hear them at a time when they are prepared to take it in and remember it. I am sure you have had the experience of learning a new word and then finding everyone using it. They were using it all along, but you simply had not been familiar enough with it to hear the word. Then one day you were. Same thing here with the historical events discussed.

How is the book organized? There are 365 daily readings (I guess you get February 29th off every four years) that present a short article about a key historical event from American history that took place on that day. Many of these have a small engraving to also provide an image. At the bottom of the page is a list of other key events from that day and the year they occurred. The authors call this American History Parade.

There are also several other articles provided throughout the book. The first is an introduction to this book. The others are "Twelve Great Reasons to Love a Great Country", "Flags of the Revolutionary War", "The History of the Stars and Stripes", "Fifty All-American Movies", "Flag Etiquette: Guidelines for Displaying and Handling the U.S. Flag", "How the Declaration of Independence Was Written and Signed", "The Declaration of Independence", How the Constitution Was Written and Ratified", The Constitution of the United States", "The Bill of Rights", "Amendments to the U.S. Constitution Since the Bill of Rights", "The Gettysburg Address", "The Emancipation Proclamation", The Pledge of Allegiance", "The American's Creed", "Songs of American Patriotism", "Poems of American Patriotism", and "Prayers for the American People". I think this collection of articles is worth the price of the book all by themselves!

If you home school or actively participate in the education of your children, you can use this book as a terrific way to spark discussion and help build a collection of important facts in the minds of your children (and yourself). Just making reading, thinking, and talking about American history, patriotism, and the glory of America a part of your family's daily life will have great benefits and pay huge dividends in the lives of your family members.

I think this is a must have for your bookshelf.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI