The American Patriot's Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb would be an excellent addition to any personal library. As it's subtitle suggests, it features daily readings on America.

"Patriotism means 'love for country.' The word comes from the Latin pater, meaning 'father.' Loving your homeland is just as natural as loving your father or mother - after all, your country nourishes you, protects you, and in many ways makes you who you are. Just as it's a virtue to honor your parents, it's a good and admirable thing to honor the land you call home."

I am, by all accounts, a patriot to the core, but I am not naive enough to believe that everyone within the bounds of this nation (or any nation)consider themselves as such. Still, this collection of readings on American history would be an invaluable resource.

Each day's entry features an account of something that occurred on that day in our nation's history and then concludes with an "American History Parade" which features other noteworthy events from that day. This would serve as a great reference for any history scholar and would be a fantastic resource for home-schooling parents as well.

Nestled between each month's entries the authors have included other patriotic writings and references. These include: Flags of the Revolutionary War, The History of the Stars and Stripes, Flag Etiquette, How the Declaration of Independence was Written and Signed, Songs of Patriotism, and much more. The book also houses the full text and notations on patriotic writings such as The Gettysburg Address, The Emancipation Proclamation, The Pledge of Allegiance, and more.

"The stories in this book are part of what Abraham Lincoln called the 'mystic
chords of memory.' They are the symbols that define the essence of the United
States, that mark its historic course, and connect its people. The American
Patriot's Almanac is a daily source of inspiration and information about the
history, heroes, and achievements that sum up what this nation is all
about."

I know this is a reference I will reach for time and again, and I feel certain it would be an excellent source of insight and historical information for anyone. I look forward to teaching my daughter to love and cherish her country and will certainly be utilizing this tool in that quest.

Purchase the Book:

*Both hardback and Kindle versions are available

We're honored to add James Reyes to our board of reviewers. James is an exceptional writer whose conversational tone welcomes you to each paragraph of his prose.

An avid techie, with a job in the high-powered corporate arena of business education, James' self-proclaimed "superhero identity is as a photographer."

His upcoming reviews include:

• The Shack by William P. Young
• The Way of the Wild Heart by John Eldredge
• The God Who Smokes by Timothy J. Stoner
• Not the Religious Type by Dave Schmelzer
• A Call to Die: A 40 Day Journey of Fasting from the World & Feasting on God by David Nasser and Chris Tomlin
• 11: Indispensable Relationships You Can't Be Without by Leonard Sweet

Look for James' reviews soon, but in the meantime enjoy his personal blog: Brainwashed Blog

You can also live vicariously through his work at Focus Photography -  his photography website

Congrats to ihchicky, the recipient of Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight. I'll be emailing you shortly for your mailing address and will get the book out to you. (Incidentally, you should check out her blog - lots of great links to giveaways and more.)



Thanks to everyone who posted a comment and joined with us this time. Be sure to subscribe to our blog and we'll keep you posted on the latest giveaways and book reviews.