Book Review #9
The Faiths of Our Fathers: What America's Founders Really Believed by Alf J. Mapp, Jr.
I found this book in the discount section at Barnes and Nobles. Paid roughly 7.00 for it. It is an engaging little book. I noted some errors in it... one of which was referencing an item in the appendix that is simply not there. However, for what I paid it provided a taste of the subject matter. I think it does reveal that the 'Founders' like many people today ranged in their beliefs. The Founders were certainly not uniformly evangelical as some church goers would have you believe and they most certainly were not all separated from faith and its role in society as some of the more secular among us would claim. They were humans with all that entails.
I think from this book I would branch out and engage in some of the other texts on the subject. I expect fully that it is a subject that will be highly effected by the personal beliefs of the author. If you only want a taste of the subject however, this would provide that in a very short form ( a mere 160ish pages). On that basis I would recommend it.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Book Review #8
The Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul
Given the size of the Federal Register and the various state codes, you would think that the original Constitution and State governing documents were extensive tomes and written with the complexity of the King James Bible. As a capstone and summary of his Presidential bid and governing philosophy, Ron Paul provides a short, succinct an altogether impressive attempt to explain the politics of freedom and the nature of limited government to a new generation of Americans who has never known either as the Founder's would have envisioned.
It is always a boon when someone is able to capture the essence of a concept and movement in a compressed form. It is clear that Ron Paul is more effective with the written word than he is standing on stages delivering speeches or in our hideous and moderated 'debates'.
If one is looking for a quick yet thorough introduction to limited Constitutional government with basic libertarian principles then this book is a must read. If you somehow feel that the common political wisdom and dialog continues to yield only more of the same visibly failed policies then this book is a must read. If you only want to find out why this man was so fervently followed by those who did then you can find out with a minimal time commitment.
The Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul
Given the size of the Federal Register and the various state codes, you would think that the original Constitution and State governing documents were extensive tomes and written with the complexity of the King James Bible. As a capstone and summary of his Presidential bid and governing philosophy, Ron Paul provides a short, succinct an altogether impressive attempt to explain the politics of freedom and the nature of limited government to a new generation of Americans who has never known either as the Founder's would have envisioned.
It is always a boon when someone is able to capture the essence of a concept and movement in a compressed form. It is clear that Ron Paul is more effective with the written word than he is standing on stages delivering speeches or in our hideous and moderated 'debates'.
If one is looking for a quick yet thorough introduction to limited Constitutional government with basic libertarian principles then this book is a must read. If you somehow feel that the common political wisdom and dialog continues to yield only more of the same visibly failed policies then this book is a must read. If you only want to find out why this man was so fervently followed by those who did then you can find out with a minimal time commitment.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Book Review #7
Augustus by Anthony Everitt
If I could go back and meet just one historical person, outside of Jesus, I think I would choose Augustus. This individual sat at the fulcrum of history. If one is a Christian then it must have some relevance that Christ was born during his governance. If one man has ever truly wielded more power and wielded it rather wisely for such a length of time as did Augustus then I remain unaware of him. And that is the fascinating thing. Many have conquered and there have been more than a few empires, but nothing has captured the imagination as much as the one charted by Augustus. As August himself said when speaking of Alexander the Great being at a loss of what to do after his extensive military conquests, "I am surprised the king did not realize that a far harder task than winning an empire is putting it into order once you have won it". And order it he did.
Alfred North Whitehead once said "I know of only two occasions in history when the people in power did what needed to be done about as well as you can imagine its being possible. One was the framing of your American Constitution... The other was in Rome and it undoubtedly saved civilization for, roughly, four hundred years. It was the work of Augusts and the set around him".
Augustus' accomplishments lend themselves to study. Through his life you can see the path to power and more importantly the means to maintain it. Fascinating man, fascinating life... the measuring stick by which all who would rule must be judged.
Specifically to the book, Everitt has accomplished a very readable history. So readable in fact that I will make it a point to acquire other works by him. He fully admits that there are some portions of Augustus' life that are not well recorded. In these sections he attempts to present what he feels is the most likely scenario to have happened. The narrative starts off with a jump to the end of Augusts' life before returning and treating the subject in a more linear chronological manner. The scope of the volume, while complete, does not render it ponderous or overly lengthy. It is well footnoted and indexed. The text also presents a fair and balanced approach to Augustus detailing his failings and triumphs as a man as well as the character and motives of his main adversaries such as Marc Antony.
I wholly recommend without reservation this book.
Augustus by Anthony Everitt
If I could go back and meet just one historical person, outside of Jesus, I think I would choose Augustus. This individual sat at the fulcrum of history. If one is a Christian then it must have some relevance that Christ was born during his governance. If one man has ever truly wielded more power and wielded it rather wisely for such a length of time as did Augustus then I remain unaware of him. And that is the fascinating thing. Many have conquered and there have been more than a few empires, but nothing has captured the imagination as much as the one charted by Augustus. As August himself said when speaking of Alexander the Great being at a loss of what to do after his extensive military conquests, "I am surprised the king did not realize that a far harder task than winning an empire is putting it into order once you have won it". And order it he did.
Alfred North Whitehead once said "I know of only two occasions in history when the people in power did what needed to be done about as well as you can imagine its being possible. One was the framing of your American Constitution... The other was in Rome and it undoubtedly saved civilization for, roughly, four hundred years. It was the work of Augusts and the set around him".
Augustus' accomplishments lend themselves to study. Through his life you can see the path to power and more importantly the means to maintain it. Fascinating man, fascinating life... the measuring stick by which all who would rule must be judged.
Specifically to the book, Everitt has accomplished a very readable history. So readable in fact that I will make it a point to acquire other works by him. He fully admits that there are some portions of Augustus' life that are not well recorded. In these sections he attempts to present what he feels is the most likely scenario to have happened. The narrative starts off with a jump to the end of Augusts' life before returning and treating the subject in a more linear chronological manner. The scope of the volume, while complete, does not render it ponderous or overly lengthy. It is well footnoted and indexed. The text also presents a fair and balanced approach to Augustus detailing his failings and triumphs as a man as well as the character and motives of his main adversaries such as Marc Antony.
I wholly recommend without reservation this book.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Fatherhood
For many, symbolism and style trump substance, but not with me. Fatherhood is a calling… a calling from the spirit of God and the heart of a child to the soul of a man who cares to do right in this calling before the eyes of God and in the life of that child. As a father you will forever define a portion of your life to yourself and your very existence to this child by how you carry out your obligations. If our children are not worth our best, then what is?
I was always terribly proud of my father. I truly feel he accepted his calling. As I have grown up it has become all the more apparent how unusual the life that he and my mother were able to create for me. It was a life without instability and worry for my family and my place in it. I truly always felt he gave his best to the endeavor of raising me and have seen how greatly he exceeded the efforts of other men. Having seen the impact I have been able to have in the life of my child it is only more quantifiable the massive impact my father had on me.
With thanks always for giving me the tools to be the man I am. I think you should never doubt that you did well. Happy Father's Day.
For many, symbolism and style trump substance, but not with me. Fatherhood is a calling… a calling from the spirit of God and the heart of a child to the soul of a man who cares to do right in this calling before the eyes of God and in the life of that child. As a father you will forever define a portion of your life to yourself and your very existence to this child by how you carry out your obligations. If our children are not worth our best, then what is?
I was always terribly proud of my father. I truly feel he accepted his calling. As I have grown up it has become all the more apparent how unusual the life that he and my mother were able to create for me. It was a life without instability and worry for my family and my place in it. I truly always felt he gave his best to the endeavor of raising me and have seen how greatly he exceeded the efforts of other men. Having seen the impact I have been able to have in the life of my child it is only more quantifiable the massive impact my father had on me.
With thanks always for giving me the tools to be the man I am. I think you should never doubt that you did well. Happy Father's Day.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Do They Think Before They Write?!
Sometimes I am embarrassed that I have to share my libertarian leanings with inferior minds such as this... (article).
June 07, 2008 "Obama is Unelectable" Posted by Stephen Carson at June 7, 2008 10:38 PM Now that we know that Obama will indeed be running against McCain, I am thinking about what John Dvorak said in passing once on TWiT. (Paraphrasing) "The next president will be a Republican, I've been saying that for months. Clinton and Obama are both unelectable." The only reason I pass this on is that as soon as I heard it, it sounded exactly right. Dvorak didn't elaborate at the time (though see here) and I haven't been able to find him explaining elsewhere what he meant. But just think about the American electorate... Not the one you wish for, but the one we've got. Now picture them picking a lefty professorial type over a "war hero". I'm not saying what I want to be true, just saying: "Brace yourself".
Yeah... the American people would never vote against a 'War Hero'... oh, except they voted against Bush the 1st who not only had a distinguished enough war record but also waged what was viewed as a very successful war... and who did they vote for? Someone they viewed as a draft dodger...or the vote against Kerry in favor of Bush II? Now obviously someone could argue that Kerry put out a lefty professorial vibe... but he was the decorated war veteran... and the argument entirely falls apart with Bush I... Frat boy draft dodger defeats 'war hero'...geez... do you all think before you write...
Sometimes I am embarrassed that I have to share my libertarian leanings with inferior minds such as this... (article).
June 07, 2008 "Obama is Unelectable" Posted by Stephen Carson at June 7, 2008 10:38 PM Now that we know that Obama will indeed be running against McCain, I am thinking about what John Dvorak said in passing once on TWiT. (Paraphrasing) "The next president will be a Republican, I've been saying that for months. Clinton and Obama are both unelectable." The only reason I pass this on is that as soon as I heard it, it sounded exactly right. Dvorak didn't elaborate at the time (though see here) and I haven't been able to find him explaining elsewhere what he meant. But just think about the American electorate... Not the one you wish for, but the one we've got. Now picture them picking a lefty professorial type over a "war hero". I'm not saying what I want to be true, just saying: "Brace yourself".
Yeah... the American people would never vote against a 'War Hero'... oh, except they voted against Bush the 1st who not only had a distinguished enough war record but also waged what was viewed as a very successful war... and who did they vote for? Someone they viewed as a draft dodger...or the vote against Kerry in favor of Bush II? Now obviously someone could argue that Kerry put out a lefty professorial vibe... but he was the decorated war veteran... and the argument entirely falls apart with Bush I... Frat boy draft dodger defeats 'war hero'...geez... do you all think before you write...
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