LEARNING VALUES FROM THE PAST

Researching the giants of history has made me sensitive to the erosion of honor and integrity in our day. When most of us hear about violations of honesty and the public trust images of government leaders or captains of industry generally come to mind. The idea that a man's handshake or word bound him; or that, like Alexander Hamilton, a man would risk his very life to uphold his honor, are nearly incomprehensible concepts today.

As an author of historical fiction I've noticed this shift in th...