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Fourth of July favorites from Amazon
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Photo credit: Candlewick Books
For those of you looking to celebrate Independence Day with a hot dog in one hand and a book in the other, Amazon has listed several patriotic titles for your consideration. While it may be too late to have them shipped to your door before the fireworks assail the night sky, you can use them as a reference when perusing your local library or bookstore.
The books are categorized as follows: Biographies and Memoirs, Historical Reads, and Children’s Books. Selected titles are summarized below, but Amazon’s full list can be accessed by following the links.
Biography and Memoir:
A. Lincoln: A Biography (Random House, $35) by Ronald C. White Jr. Overcoming poverty and a lack of formal education, Lincoln went on to become one of our nation’s most celebrated—and well-liked—presidents. White takes readers into his subject’s mind by utilizing Lincoln’s personal papers (and those of his contemporaries) to illustrate his maturation. The critics are in agreement that the author knows his stuff, which makes this one a “must read.”
A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812 (Vintage, $15.95) by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. A rather obscure name, Martha Ballard was a housewife and herbalist in rural 18th-century New England. Ulrich weaves excerpts from Ballard’s diary with interpretive essays, showcasing the social status of women in the new Republic, as well as the nature of marital relations, the state of medical knowledge and practice, and the economic impact on community.
To see the full list of Biography/Memoir titles, click here.
Historical Reads:
The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers (Regency Publishing, $19.95) by Brian McClanahan. A conservative historian, McClanahan looks back at the words and wisdom of America’s founding fathers in offering guidance for how our current leaders should be planning for the future—and for the present day. Popular misconceptions are debunked in enlightening profiles of the people (and papers) that ensured America’s liberty.
America’s Constitution: A Biography (Random House Trade Paperbacks, $18) by Akhil Reed Amar. A biography of the document itself (as opposed to the people who wrote it), this book traces the origins of Constitution and its revisions. The author is a twenty-year veteran of the Yale Law School faculty, and he uses his vast knowledge to create a vivid retelling. Publishers Weekly raved, “Only rarely do you find a book that embodies scholarship at its most solid and invigorating; this is such a book.”
To see the full list of Historical reads, click here.
Children’s Books:
Lady Liberty: A Biography (Candlewick, $17.99) by Doreen Rappaport. Illustrated by Matt Tavares, this large-format book recalls the history of the Statue of Liberty, from its conception and construction in France to its much-celebrated unveiling in New York. Rappaport uses first-person narration in the form of free-verse poetry to show young readers a multitude of perspectives.
George vs. George: The Revolutionary War as Seen by Both Sides (National Geographic Children’s Books, $16.95) by Rosalyn Schanzer. This book proves the point that every story has two sides. Both George Washington and King George III are profiled, and the American and British ways of government are explored, educating young readers as to why the war was fought and what the ramifications were.
To see the full list of Children’s books, click here.
Here’s hoping that a good book finds its way into your Fourth of July celebration! And if you have any patriotic recommendations of your own, we’d be happy to hear about them…
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