I finally finished an adult-length book!  It took me a few weeks, partially thanks to Miss Henley and partially thanks to the depth of the book.  I loved the book, Seven Miracles That Saved America by Chris and Ted Stewart.  As you may have guessed from the title, this book discusses seven events in the history of the United States and their imperative importance to the development of this country into what it is today.  The events discussed include: Columbus’ discovery of America, Jamestown, Battle of New York during the Revolutionary War, writing of the US Constitution, Abraham Lincoln and the Battle of Gettysburg, Battle of Midway, Ronald Reagan and the end of the Cold War.  I liked the depth of the history found in the book as well as the overwhelming optimism the authors embrace.

I’ve always liked a good story and what better place to find one than in a history class?  This book discusses details of US history that were pretty new to me.  For example, the very near tragedy of the Jamestown colony.  Perhaps my schools didn’t cover the cannibalism and almost failure of this colony in order to spare young students from such horrible things.  Probably a good move.  Someone more knowledgeable regarding our nation’s history may not be surprised at the depth of this book, but I bet most of you, like me, will learn a thing or two from this book.  If nothing else, this book is a good history lesson, but if that’s all it was I wouldn’t have enjoyed it so much.

The truly wonderful part of this book is the positive attitude the authors take toward the US and its future.  Events in the present world, especially as of late, seem to have cast the United States in a very poor light.  It seems like people throughout the world and within our country doubt the US and hold very little respect for this country anymore.  While it’s true that the US is not a perfect nation, it is also true that its formation has led to incredible things.  The freedom allowed here has been instrumental in medical advancements, scientific discoveries, industrialization, and liberation of much of the world.  To quote the book, “No man is perfect.  And neither is any nation.  Yet, despite our weakness, we are still, as Abraham Lincoln said, the best nation ever given to man.”  I truly believe this will all my heart.  The US is an incredible country and I am proud to call myself an American.

In the midst of the bad things happening in the world today, it can be easy to lose sight of such things.  It’s much easier to go along with the pessimistic attitude of others and take a negative outlook.  Reading this book encouraged me to look instead at the good surrounding us, to take a positive view of things and hope for the best.  I encourage you to read this book, it is excellent!