The Portable Patriot

(review by Deanna)

I selected this book to receive from the publisher because I thought it would be a great reference to have for my children's school years and because I've been refreshing my own knowledge of history (which is sadly lacking).  The Portable Patriot: Documents, Speeches, and Sermons that Compose the American Soul is a compilation in a small, hardback format.  I like the feel of the book itself - it is less than seven inches tall with a nice texture to the cover, spine and paper.

Given that these are important documents for my own country's history, I'm glad to have a paper copy of them.  However, there are some aspects of the compilation that don't make this very readable.  First, they have printed the documents one right after the other with very little introductory information.  Even the table of contents only lists each section, so if you want to turn to a document you have to search through the section rather than having a page number to turn to.  I know this was done to make the format smaller and more portable, but it also makes it more difficult to use.  There is a short index and I'm very glad they chose to include one.  I hope we'll use this book in the future.  For just reading, I found it torturous to get through.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not encouraged or required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

(review by Julie)
What a great book! Why have I never read this??? First published in 1953, Fahrenheit 451 is that classic novel about burning books that gets referenced in all sorts of random places. I'm sure we've all heard about it, but how many have actually read it? A tragedy! This is good stuff!!!

In this society, they destroy the written word and everyone watches extreme amounts of TV, which is now a 4-walled room (if you can afford it) instead of a single panel. The people become so involved with the drama of the television characters that they forget about real life. (sound familiar?) The twist is that the citizens themselves call for the book burning and more television. The more television they watch, the less they tolerate thinkers and readers. However, when one fireman who lives to burn books meets a young girl, Clarisse, who asks too many questions, he starts to think and wonder about all books he burns.

I often think about Fahrenheit 451 when I hear people talking about television shows they're in to and the characters on them. Many times it's inspired me to turn off the tube and pick up a book. I hope there will always be the Clarisse types among us to help us question our own behaviors- maybe I can even be one...

Here are my favorite quotes:

"Who knows what might be the target of the well read man- me?"

"...cram them full of noncombustible data, chalk them so damn full of facts they feel stuffed but absolutely brilliant with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking- they'll get a sense of motion without moving. Then they'll be happy."

This book earned 5 full stars and a permanent spot in my library. In fact, it even earned some other books a permanent spot in my library on principle!

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

(review by Julie)
Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand is another classic novel that is referenced far more often than those who have not read it realize (Who is John Galt?). It was first published in 1957 but it's just as relevant, if not more relevant today than it was then.

The book is about Rand's philosophy which she calls 'Objectivism'. In the novel, the thinking men and women, after being told what they can and can not do, go on strike and the world falls apart without them. To me, it's mostly an anti-socialism sort of book.

What I take with me from this book is how destructive an entitlement mentality is. We all need to assume we will have to work for what we get. We need ensure there are sufficient incentives in our society to encourage people to create.

Like many people, I have a love-hate relationship with Ayn Rand. In some things, she is so right that I want to force everyone who can vote to read her book, but then in other areas I'd like to shake her into seeing how wrong she is. So, I give the book 4 stars out of five and I think everyone needs to read it (or at least some abridged version of it). I'd love to discuss the book with others and how it applys to our world today.