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The American Patriot's Almanac
365 reasons to love America! The fife and drum of history mark the time of each passing day. And within their cadence, personalities, conflicts, discoveries, ideas, and nations peal and fade. American history is no different. From the starving time of Jamestown during the Winter of 1609, through the bloody argument of the Civil War, and to today, the United States is a tale best told one day at a time. Best-selling author and educator Dr. William J. Bennett is a master of the story that is the United States. And in The American Patriot's Almanac , Bennett distills the American drama into three hundred sixty-five entries-one for each day of the year. Fascinating in its detail and singular in its grasp of the big themes, Bennett's Almanac will make anyone a fan of history, assembling even some of the most obscure details. Even better, it will make of everyone a patriot.
515 pages, Hardcover
First published October 21, 2008
146 people are currently reading
785 people want to read
About the author
William J. Bennett
131 books198 followersWilliam J. "Bill" Bennett is a politician and author who served in the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations, as chief of National Endowment for the Humanities and later Secretary of Education under Reagan, and Drug Czar under Bush. He is a nationally well-known figure of political and social conservatism and authored many books on politics, ethics, and international relations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
December 16, 2021
I love this book! My sis and I love to look in it each day to see what happened on that date in our country's history. Not to mention it has all sorts of interesting facts and patriotic songs in it as well.
January 18, 2011
Every American family should have a copy of The American Patriot's Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb in their home. I was excited to get a free copy from Book Sneeze a few months ago and I've been meaning to write about it ever since.
The book is arranged by date through the year and tells of important and interesting historical details that occurred on each day. For example, on January 11th Alexander Hamilton was born. He was an orphan born in the Caribbean Islands and the exact year is not known--either 1755 or 1757. The page continues to give a quick glimpse of Hamilton's life and his contributions to America, including being an aide-de-camp to George Washington during the Revolutionary War, helping to persuade Americans to accept the constitution and writing the Federalist Papers with James Madison and John Jay.
Also on this day in 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt declared the Grand Canyon a national monument .
This book is a treasure trove of valuable information for all Americans. Besides the historical data from each day, it also includes the history of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. These documents, the Bill of Rights and Amendments to the US Constitution are included in their entirety. You can also find the Gettysburg Address, The Emancipation Proclamation and The Pledge of Allegiance. Songs, poems and prayers for the American People are included as well. A section at the back of the book lists each of the fifty states, their flag and other important information.
While Utah Dad and I have much of this additional information in other books in our library, it is especially nice to have it all combined so conveniently and beautifully in one volume. My children have enjoyed looking up the events that occurred on their birthdays.
The American Patriot's Almanac is definitely a book to add to your library. It is a rich and valuable source for every family.
The book is arranged by date through the year and tells of important and interesting historical details that occurred on each day. For example, on January 11th Alexander Hamilton was born. He was an orphan born in the Caribbean Islands and the exact year is not known--either 1755 or 1757. The page continues to give a quick glimpse of Hamilton's life and his contributions to America, including being an aide-de-camp to George Washington during the Revolutionary War, helping to persuade Americans to accept the constitution and writing the Federalist Papers with James Madison and John Jay.
Also on this day in 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt declared the Grand Canyon a national monument .
This book is a treasure trove of valuable information for all Americans. Besides the historical data from each day, it also includes the history of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. These documents, the Bill of Rights and Amendments to the US Constitution are included in their entirety. You can also find the Gettysburg Address, The Emancipation Proclamation and The Pledge of Allegiance. Songs, poems and prayers for the American People are included as well. A section at the back of the book lists each of the fifty states, their flag and other important information.
While Utah Dad and I have much of this additional information in other books in our library, it is especially nice to have it all combined so conveniently and beautifully in one volume. My children have enjoyed looking up the events that occurred on their birthdays.
The American Patriot's Almanac is definitely a book to add to your library. It is a rich and valuable source for every family.
May 5, 2015
December 30, 2014,
I wrote most of the below review back in April, and looking back on it now I was clearly overreacting to a little public embarrassment. That being said, I did discover one or two other minor factual errors in this tome that some thorough editing should have discovered. In truth, no large nonfiction book is without unintentional errors or typos, and the few that I found here did little, in the long run, to mar my experience.
The American Patriot's Almanac is actually a quite useful book. You'll find reprinted herein many of the most important documents of the American Republic: The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, including The Bill of Rights and the other Amendments, The Gettysburg Address, and The Emancipation Proclamation. You'll also find the official guidelines for handling and displaying the American Flag, and a rundown of the basic facts, statistics, and symbols of the 50 U.S. states. The daily readings are also a wealth of interesting anecdotes from the U.S. history and the myriad of colorful individuals who have lived it.
It's quite clear that the two authors are proud to be Americans and are proud of all that this great nation has achieved. At the same time they are still mindful of the tragic mistakes of the past and how much more needs to be done if the United States is to live up to those founding principles of Liberty, Justice, and Equality under the Law for all.
I've decided not to delete what I previously wrote about this book, and it is printed below if you wish to read it.
My final verdict is that this book is a great companion to any history buff or armchair historian.
***
One of the most important concepts in writing is the “rhetorical triangle,” also called the “reader/writer triangle.” This concept envisions a piece of writing as a transaction involving three principle components: The author, the written word, and the audience. In all writing, but particularly in nonfiction, it is the writer’s responsibility to establish and maintain credibility with the reader. If that credibility is lost, you have lost the reader. That’s why, more than anything else, accuracy is of primary importance in nonfiction. The presence of a single inaccuracy or misstatement of fact (whether by deliberate deception or a simple honest error) can cause a whole book or article to be suspect. Remember, the easiest thing for a reader to do is to stop reading.
Amazingly, some authors appear to take these seemingly obvious notions for granted. Let me share a case in point I encountered just today.
On page 117 of The American Patriot’s Almanac (2010) is a list of noteworthy events in American history that happened on today’s date, April 2. The last item on the list states that on April 2, 1953 “[the] journal Nature publishes a paper by British scientist Francis Crick and American scientist James Watson, describing a double helix structure for DNA.”
Having no reason to doubt the information, I took the authors at their word and posted the supposed fact on Twitter. Unfortunately for me, it is not true. Within a few minutes, Nature magazine itself responded to my post and corrected me. Watson and Crick’s landmark paper was submitted to Nature on April 2, 1953. It was not published until April 25. A small discrepancy, but facts matter. I was mortified. I had tweeted to my 170 plus followers information that I believed to be accurate because I trusted the source and so did not verify it first.
William J. Bennett and John T. E. Cribb have written what they claim to be a history book. You would assume they would have taken the time and due diligence to verify every fact contained therein. As anyone familiar with academia and peer reviewed journals knows, there is a big difference between the date an article is submitted for review and the date of its final publication. Of course, inaccuracies can slip past even the most meticulous editors. I have no reason to believe that the error was intentional or that the book is littered with deliberate falsehoods. All the same, my trust in the authors’ credibility has been broken. My faith in the accuracy of their information was shattered in a very humiliating way in the very public forum of social media. It makes me question how vigorous their editorial process was, and if other inaccuracies may exist in the book due to poor editing.
It is hard to continue reading a book when you are constantly questioning the accuracy of the text. Few readers have the time or patience to fact check everything in a large book. That is why the implicit contract of credibility between author and audience is so important in nonfiction. I haven’t decided whether I’ll continue to read The American Patriot’s Almanac. If I do, I will almost certainly be more guarded about what I take as implicit fact. Not to mention double checking things before I post them on the internet.
If anyone has any thoughts please feel free to comment!
I wrote most of the below review back in April, and looking back on it now I was clearly overreacting to a little public embarrassment. That being said, I did discover one or two other minor factual errors in this tome that some thorough editing should have discovered. In truth, no large nonfiction book is without unintentional errors or typos, and the few that I found here did little, in the long run, to mar my experience.
The American Patriot's Almanac is actually a quite useful book. You'll find reprinted herein many of the most important documents of the American Republic: The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, including The Bill of Rights and the other Amendments, The Gettysburg Address, and The Emancipation Proclamation. You'll also find the official guidelines for handling and displaying the American Flag, and a rundown of the basic facts, statistics, and symbols of the 50 U.S. states. The daily readings are also a wealth of interesting anecdotes from the U.S. history and the myriad of colorful individuals who have lived it.
It's quite clear that the two authors are proud to be Americans and are proud of all that this great nation has achieved. At the same time they are still mindful of the tragic mistakes of the past and how much more needs to be done if the United States is to live up to those founding principles of Liberty, Justice, and Equality under the Law for all.
I've decided not to delete what I previously wrote about this book, and it is printed below if you wish to read it.
My final verdict is that this book is a great companion to any history buff or armchair historian.
***
One of the most important concepts in writing is the “rhetorical triangle,” also called the “reader/writer triangle.” This concept envisions a piece of writing as a transaction involving three principle components: The author, the written word, and the audience. In all writing, but particularly in nonfiction, it is the writer’s responsibility to establish and maintain credibility with the reader. If that credibility is lost, you have lost the reader. That’s why, more than anything else, accuracy is of primary importance in nonfiction. The presence of a single inaccuracy or misstatement of fact (whether by deliberate deception or a simple honest error) can cause a whole book or article to be suspect. Remember, the easiest thing for a reader to do is to stop reading.
Amazingly, some authors appear to take these seemingly obvious notions for granted. Let me share a case in point I encountered just today.
On page 117 of The American Patriot’s Almanac (2010) is a list of noteworthy events in American history that happened on today’s date, April 2. The last item on the list states that on April 2, 1953 “[the] journal Nature publishes a paper by British scientist Francis Crick and American scientist James Watson, describing a double helix structure for DNA.”
Having no reason to doubt the information, I took the authors at their word and posted the supposed fact on Twitter. Unfortunately for me, it is not true. Within a few minutes, Nature magazine itself responded to my post and corrected me. Watson and Crick’s landmark paper was submitted to Nature on April 2, 1953. It was not published until April 25. A small discrepancy, but facts matter. I was mortified. I had tweeted to my 170 plus followers information that I believed to be accurate because I trusted the source and so did not verify it first.
William J. Bennett and John T. E. Cribb have written what they claim to be a history book. You would assume they would have taken the time and due diligence to verify every fact contained therein. As anyone familiar with academia and peer reviewed journals knows, there is a big difference between the date an article is submitted for review and the date of its final publication. Of course, inaccuracies can slip past even the most meticulous editors. I have no reason to believe that the error was intentional or that the book is littered with deliberate falsehoods. All the same, my trust in the authors’ credibility has been broken. My faith in the accuracy of their information was shattered in a very humiliating way in the very public forum of social media. It makes me question how vigorous their editorial process was, and if other inaccuracies may exist in the book due to poor editing.
It is hard to continue reading a book when you are constantly questioning the accuracy of the text. Few readers have the time or patience to fact check everything in a large book. That is why the implicit contract of credibility between author and audience is so important in nonfiction. I haven’t decided whether I’ll continue to read The American Patriot’s Almanac. If I do, I will almost certainly be more guarded about what I take as implicit fact. Not to mention double checking things before I post them on the internet.
If anyone has any thoughts please feel free to comment!
February 4, 2016
The American Patriot's Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T. E. Cribb
This book is about America and our history. It is well done and each chapter is based on months. January: Flags of the Revolutionary War; February: The History of the Stars and Stripes; March: Fifty All- American Movies; April: Fifty American Quotes; May: Flag Etiquette: Guidelines for Displaying and Handling the U. S. Flag; June: How the Declaration of Independence was Written and Signed and The Declaration of Independence; July: How the Constitution Was Written and Ratified, The Constitution of the United States, The Bill of Rights and Amendments of the U.S.; August: The Gettysburg Address, The Emancipation Proclamation, The Pledge of Allegiance and The American's Creed; September: Songs of American Patriotism; October: Poems of the American Patriotism; November: Faith and the Founders and December: State Flags, Facts and Symbols.
There are Daily Readings and each had meanings. A lot of research has gone into this book and the reader will find so much of American History in the book.
At the end of each chapter is a calendar of some events. December 7, for example, has "1787 Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the U. S. constitution" and 1805: "Lewis and Clark camp near the mouth of the Columbus River at a site that becomes Fort Clatsop; their winter quarters".
Before the chapters begin there are Twelve Great Reasons to Love a Great Country on pages xx-xxiii. Prayers by a number of our Presidents and people in our history are included; President Lincoln's "Prayer for Our Country" and from President George W. Bush's "Prayer for Times of National Grief" after the tragedy of 9-11.
The American Flag gets a lot of respect in the book; how to fold the Flag, how to display and when and how to acquire a flag that has flown over the U. S. Capitol. The Pledge of Allegiance and the history is on pages 542-543.
There are so many people that belong to our history in this book. I was reading one Daily Reading and there was something on Vietnam; I looked up John McCain and did not find him in the book. I realize only so many people can be in a book but because I am giving my opinion, I will say I was a little disappointed.
This book is one not to be on a shelf but on a table to be read daily. Parents can use this as a history book to read with their kids, anyone who loves facts will enjoy The American Patriot's Almanac as well history buffs. Everyone will learn something about America.
A wonderful Christmas present for those on your list who have everything or a birthday present for someone.
I received a complimentary copy of The American Patriot's Almanac from Thomas Nelson Publishers to review. I will post my review on booksneeze.com, LibraryThing.com, Facebook and my blog: mnleona.blogspot.com.The opinions are my own. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
This book is about America and our history. It is well done and each chapter is based on months. January: Flags of the Revolutionary War; February: The History of the Stars and Stripes; March: Fifty All- American Movies; April: Fifty American Quotes; May: Flag Etiquette: Guidelines for Displaying and Handling the U. S. Flag; June: How the Declaration of Independence was Written and Signed and The Declaration of Independence; July: How the Constitution Was Written and Ratified, The Constitution of the United States, The Bill of Rights and Amendments of the U.S.; August: The Gettysburg Address, The Emancipation Proclamation, The Pledge of Allegiance and The American's Creed; September: Songs of American Patriotism; October: Poems of the American Patriotism; November: Faith and the Founders and December: State Flags, Facts and Symbols.
There are Daily Readings and each had meanings. A lot of research has gone into this book and the reader will find so much of American History in the book.
At the end of each chapter is a calendar of some events. December 7, for example, has "1787 Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the U. S. constitution" and 1805: "Lewis and Clark camp near the mouth of the Columbus River at a site that becomes Fort Clatsop; their winter quarters".
Before the chapters begin there are Twelve Great Reasons to Love a Great Country on pages xx-xxiii. Prayers by a number of our Presidents and people in our history are included; President Lincoln's "Prayer for Our Country" and from President George W. Bush's "Prayer for Times of National Grief" after the tragedy of 9-11.
The American Flag gets a lot of respect in the book; how to fold the Flag, how to display and when and how to acquire a flag that has flown over the U. S. Capitol. The Pledge of Allegiance and the history is on pages 542-543.
There are so many people that belong to our history in this book. I was reading one Daily Reading and there was something on Vietnam; I looked up John McCain and did not find him in the book. I realize only so many people can be in a book but because I am giving my opinion, I will say I was a little disappointed.
This book is one not to be on a shelf but on a table to be read daily. Parents can use this as a history book to read with their kids, anyone who loves facts will enjoy The American Patriot's Almanac as well history buffs. Everyone will learn something about America.
A wonderful Christmas present for those on your list who have everything or a birthday present for someone.
I received a complimentary copy of The American Patriot's Almanac from Thomas Nelson Publishers to review. I will post my review on booksneeze.com, LibraryThing.com, Facebook and my blog: mnleona.blogspot.com.The opinions are my own. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
August 31, 2012
We read for each day at dinnertime. It's our tradition.
January 9, 2022
This is an outstanding anthology of Americana: a chronological look at important dates, events, people; of historical markers in the history of the United States. A selection of such is provided for each day of the year with a short story about one of these, one page per day. Some of the entries include quotes from speeches or other publications related to that story. In between the monthly entries are collections of poems, songs, and important historical documents which collectively describe our foundational values, beliefs, spirit, and character. The back cover succinctly identifies these as “the symbols that define the essence of the United States, that mark its historic course, and connect its people…a daily source of inspiration and information about the history, heroes, and achievements that sum up what this nation is all about.”
This pairs nicely with George Grant’s “The American Patriot’s Handbook,” which provides an expanded version of the important documents and distinctly American writings.
This pairs nicely with George Grant’s “The American Patriot’s Handbook,” which provides an expanded version of the important documents and distinctly American writings.
April 27, 2010
From the moment I laid eyes on this book, I fell in love with it.
From the "aged" look of the front cover to the beautiful ivory, rough edge pages, this book captured my interest from the very first page.
In the very beginning of this book, there are 3 pages devoted to The American Patriot, and what patriotism means. The first three pages are inspiring and spark a love and respect for all things "American".
The book is divided into chapters, January through December. For each day of the month there is a detailed historical event that corresponds with the date. At the bottom of each page, there are other historical events listed for that same date and each page is a wealth of information!
The information provided in this book not only includes history from the early beginnings of America, but current information as well. I was pleasantly surprised to see a page devoted to Pat Tillman, who was killed in the line of duty in 2004.
The writings are informative, easy to read and just enough information to be interesting yet not overwhelming. I plan to use this book as part of our American History curriculum next year.
Everyone who loves American history should have The American Patriot's Almanac in their library. And for those who aren't well versed on our history or may not have enjoyed the subject in school, I believe this book will change your perception as well.
February 20, 2024
Divided into succinct daily readings, these true stories from the pages of American history are often quite moving and even sobering. Some of the readings are straight-up lists of facts and numbers, but the majority of the book swells patriotism in one's heart and leaves one with a desire for further reading on many subjects. The last pages are particularly poignant and left this history-loving patriotic soul all choked up.
Note: occasional references to an evolutionary timeline.
Note: occasional references to an evolutionary timeline.
February 17, 2022
I read the daily entries to my kids when we were learning about the founding of the United States. There is a "history parade" short list of significant historical events that happened relating to the United States on "this day in history" for each day of the year. One item is highlighted with a longer story in a few paragraphs. Learning this way isn't necessary the most intuitive as far as chronology of time goes, but it is a fun way to learn lots of tidbits of significant events that we might not otherwise come across. It often was was a great jumping off place for more discussion on the events.
I can't say I read every single entry, but I think we read enough that I'm counting it as read.
I can't say I read every single entry, but I think we read enough that I'm counting it as read.
January 1, 2022
I read this as part of my morning devotional time. It is an excellent book that describes one historical event or person that was important in shaping America. Many of the entries were things I never heard in history class. I highly recommend this book if you want to learn more about our history.
May 9, 2018
An amazing collection of America's best stories from a rich history.👍
August 19, 2019
This is a really cool book of daily patriotic historical occurrences for every day throughout the year. I have leafed through it many times since completing it in 2011.
December 31, 2020
An interesting trek through America's past.
August 17, 2023
A day by day book with information about The United States and it's History. Great book for feeling the patriotic spirit.
September 5, 2023
This is a great book to read to learn about America's history. We are trying another book this year but will return to this book after. It will continue to be part of our curriculum.
May 25, 2024
Nearly 5 stars, a bit heavy on religion for me. An enjoyable day by day reading of history & what happened on that date.
December 31, 2024
A great resource for a short, daily dose of American history.
August 17, 2025
The daily "on this date" is always fascinating! The authors seem to faithfully and fairly tell American history in bite sized chunks.
October 20, 2016
Excellent; a day-by-day chronicle of people, places and events that made America the great country it is
December 5, 2023
I read the day's entry every morning and it never gets old. A nice start to the day.
August 5, 2015
Dr. William J. Bennett and John T. E. Cribb have put together a very nice collection of patriotic stories and information in The American Patriot's Almanac: Daily Readings on America, that remind us of the things that make America great. And the format is very handsome, with decorative borders, lettering, and scrollwork that remind me of books from an earlier era when craftsmanship extended to publishing and families gathered together in the evening for something other than watching television.
The focus is on patriotism, and each day of the year has a few paragraphs that describe an important historical event along with a short list of other notable events that occurred on that day. But it's not just a daily dose of inspiration, there are also numerous essays throughout describing such things as the history of the flag and other flags used during the Revolutionary War; guidelines and etiquette for handling the flag; how documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights came about, plus it includes those documents in their entirety. Also included are other great American documents such as the Gettysburg Address and Emancipation Proclamation, and essays on such topics as the Pledge of Allegiance and the faith of the founders, as well as various patriotic quotes, poems, and songs.
And for the most part, each daily reading is patriotic and inspirational, although a few (such as the story of the Bernie Madhoff scandal) seemed neither inspirational nor patriotic. But those appear to be in the minority here. And I was a little mystified at "Fifty All-American Movies" which included such "greats" as Will Smith's Independence Day and the recent The Princess and the Frog (fun, but "All-American?"). (I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their blogger program.)
The focus is on patriotism, and each day of the year has a few paragraphs that describe an important historical event along with a short list of other notable events that occurred on that day. But it's not just a daily dose of inspiration, there are also numerous essays throughout describing such things as the history of the flag and other flags used during the Revolutionary War; guidelines and etiquette for handling the flag; how documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights came about, plus it includes those documents in their entirety. Also included are other great American documents such as the Gettysburg Address and Emancipation Proclamation, and essays on such topics as the Pledge of Allegiance and the faith of the founders, as well as various patriotic quotes, poems, and songs.
And for the most part, each daily reading is patriotic and inspirational, although a few (such as the story of the Bernie Madhoff scandal) seemed neither inspirational nor patriotic. But those appear to be in the minority here. And I was a little mystified at "Fifty All-American Movies" which included such "greats" as Will Smith's Independence Day and the recent The Princess and the Frog (fun, but "All-American?"). (I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their blogger program.)
November 6, 2010
The American Patriot's Almanac
The American Patriot's Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb, published by Thomas Nelson, was everything I expected and more! This newly revised, updated and expanded almanac includes a slice of our great country's history alongside the daily "American History Parade."
I enjoyed reading through the historical events which left such in impact on our country. My whole family enjoyed looking up their birthday to see who had the most exciting historical events.
Since we are learning US History this year, we have been able to review such documents as: The Declaration of Independence (and how it was written and signed), The Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights, and the American Creed - just to name of few.
Each year our students in the public schools are learning a different US History from previous generations. This Almanac helps bridge that gap and gives an insight into the Christian founding principles of America.
Per the author, "Our nation's founding principles of liberty and equality are among humanity's noblest aspirations. As long as the United States is a place dedicated to those principles, then to be an American patriot is to love something noble and good. By loving America, we lift our own sights." Let us be a country filled with PATRIOTS who love this country, take pride in what America has accomplished, are active in their communities, and are involved in the election process - voting, reading up on the issues, and being an active participant.
Join in on the US History revolution... take your US History daily alongside your multivitamin!
The American Patriot's Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb, published by Thomas Nelson, was everything I expected and more! This newly revised, updated and expanded almanac includes a slice of our great country's history alongside the daily "American History Parade."
I enjoyed reading through the historical events which left such in impact on our country. My whole family enjoyed looking up their birthday to see who had the most exciting historical events.
Since we are learning US History this year, we have been able to review such documents as: The Declaration of Independence (and how it was written and signed), The Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights, and the American Creed - just to name of few.
Each year our students in the public schools are learning a different US History from previous generations. This Almanac helps bridge that gap and gives an insight into the Christian founding principles of America.
Per the author, "Our nation's founding principles of liberty and equality are among humanity's noblest aspirations. As long as the United States is a place dedicated to those principles, then to be an American patriot is to love something noble and good. By loving America, we lift our own sights." Let us be a country filled with PATRIOTS who love this country, take pride in what America has accomplished, are active in their communities, and are involved in the election process - voting, reading up on the issues, and being an active participant.
Join in on the US History revolution... take your US History daily alongside your multivitamin!
December 1, 2010
I wanted to read this book because as much as I love history, I tend to read European history & what I know about American history is probably lacking. Though I had read the blurb about the book, what I hold in my hand wasn't what I had pictured, either. I'm not really sure what I had pictured - I think more a traditional book with a beginning, a middle, and an end, and this book isn't it.
You get a one page blurb about each day in the calendar - and each page has a few paragraphs about one particular event, and then a few, one liners about other events also taking place that day.
It's the type of book that, though very interesting, isn't really one you'd sit down & read for a few hours at a time. I found myself picking it up, and reading a few pages at a time. After I read the first couple of months, I jumped around a bit & picked out dates from my own personal history: May 6 (my mother's birthday): the first time Bob Hope performed for the military (ironically, my mother loved Bob Hope, and always thought it was nice he performed for them, though nice isn't quite the right word). September 30th (our wedding anniversary) actually talks about a few events in 1948, leading up to the end of airlifts to help the Berliners cut off from supplies. My grandfather & husband's grandfather bought fought in the war. Each date, that was personal to me or my family, could be tied in to another personal aspect of my life, making the book all the more interesting to read.
You get a one page blurb about each day in the calendar - and each page has a few paragraphs about one particular event, and then a few, one liners about other events also taking place that day.
It's the type of book that, though very interesting, isn't really one you'd sit down & read for a few hours at a time. I found myself picking it up, and reading a few pages at a time. After I read the first couple of months, I jumped around a bit & picked out dates from my own personal history: May 6 (my mother's birthday): the first time Bob Hope performed for the military (ironically, my mother loved Bob Hope, and always thought it was nice he performed for them, though nice isn't quite the right word). September 30th (our wedding anniversary) actually talks about a few events in 1948, leading up to the end of airlifts to help the Berliners cut off from supplies. My grandfather & husband's grandfather bought fought in the war. Each date, that was personal to me or my family, could be tied in to another personal aspect of my life, making the book all the more interesting to read.
August 23, 2009
I think this book would be a great gift for history buffs, people who like history trivia, and anyone interested in “firsts” (when an event first happened). Each day, you read a page essay on some important event that happened in American history (including science, military, government, and sports) on this day. At the end of the essay, a list of four to seven events that happened on this day is listed. There are also sections at the end of most of the months that cover things like Flags of the Revolutionary War, How the Declaration of Independence was Written and Signed, The Gettysburg Address, and Songs of American Patriotism.
This book helped the facts of history come alive for me. For example, I knew that the Pilgrims began coming ashore at Plymouth, Massachusetts on December 21, 1620, but reading this entry while looking out at freezing cold weather (and I’m in the south!) gave the fact totally new dimensions. I also enjoyed the frequent quotes given from people in those events. It’s interesting to see how they viewed the events happening around them. Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the United States of America.
This book helped the facts of history come alive for me. For example, I knew that the Pilgrims began coming ashore at Plymouth, Massachusetts on December 21, 1620, but reading this entry while looking out at freezing cold weather (and I’m in the south!) gave the fact totally new dimensions. I also enjoyed the frequent quotes given from people in those events. It’s interesting to see how they viewed the events happening around them. Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the United States of America.
January 2, 2013
What a fun, educational resource! We started by looking up our birthdays and other special days. The authors have devoted a single page to each day. There is usually an essay about one of the "American History Parade" dates that is listed below. For example, on my birthday (July 14), did you know that US President Leslie Lynch King, Jr. was born. Oh, his name was changed to Gerald Ford when his mother's second husband adopted him. Between months, the authors include additional readings or the full text of ones that have been mentioned briefly elsewhere: Flags of the Revolutionary War (with drawings and brief descriptions), Fifty All-American Movies (recommended as portraying America, Americans, or our values), Flag Etiquette (guidelines for displaying or caring for our flag), The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, The Gettysburg Address, The Emancipation Proclamation, The Pledge of Allegiance, etc. Definitely a good book to have on hand any day of the year.
July 9, 2014
This is a great American history book for those who don't particularly like history. It is a book that gives you historical information in small bites on a daily basis. The ALMANAC in the title refers to the way in which the reader learns about our history. For each day of the year, the author relates an important historical fact in a concise one or two pages and then tells us other facts that also happened on that day throughout history. At the end of the each month, the author elaborates on things such as the Declaration of Indepeneence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, flag etiquette, details about each state including the origin of the state's name, population size, geographical size, when it entered the union, state flower descibes its flag, etc....
This should be required reading for not only middle and high school students but Americans of all ages. I think people would better enjoy, learn and appreciate our history if it were taught in this manner.
This should be required reading for not only middle and high school students but Americans of all ages. I think people would better enjoy, learn and appreciate our history if it were taught in this manner.
January 1, 2014
It feels great to finish reading a book I've been reading every single day for the entirety of 2013! And, I also read the One Year Bible in 2013!! This Patriot's Almanac is definitely worth reading - it has a very short passage to read each day and then at the end of each month there's a special section that's more lengthy (e.g. info on all the State flags, the various anthems, the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, etc.). As a NASA geek, I was quite happy that some daily passages were about key moments in our space exploration programs. It was also great to be reminded of some of the amazing times in our country's history, and to learn new things I was never taught in school. It's close to a 5 star book, but since it's a little bit more like learning history than "fun" reading, I couldn't quite give it the full 5 stars.
December 4, 2016
I began reading this book like any other, starting on page one, but soon decided to read it by the calendar date...for example, if today is December 9th, I read the entry for this day as well as the "American History Parade," which are additional items (honorable mentions?) that also happened on this day in American history. The entries range from what I would call serious history (Truman ordering the seizure of the nation's steel mills) to interesting trivia (the invention of items such as the safety pin and Teflon).
Along the way, Bennett and Cribb also treat us to additional information, such as Flag Etiquette, Fifty American Quotes, and a review of amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Definitely a great addition to anyone's library, and certainly something to share with children and young adults.
Along the way, Bennett and Cribb also treat us to additional information, such as Flag Etiquette, Fifty American Quotes, and a review of amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Definitely a great addition to anyone's library, and certainly something to share with children and young adults.
June 27, 2013
I remember growing up my grandparents and my parents always consulted an almanac for gardening and weather. I don't recall them ever having one for history but this is a must have for the whole family!!
Beautifully rendered, the almanac is broken up so you have a passage every day for 365 days. Everyday you can learn a little something about our American History. The months are broken up into different categories. For instance, March is American movies, April American Quotes, and October poems of American Patriotism.
Like I said above, it's a beautiful book with high quality paper, gold and black print, and very educational as well as entertaining. A must have for any library or collector.
Beautifully rendered, the almanac is broken up so you have a passage every day for 365 days. Everyday you can learn a little something about our American History. The months are broken up into different categories. For instance, March is American movies, April American Quotes, and October poems of American Patriotism.
Like I said above, it's a beautiful book with high quality paper, gold and black print, and very educational as well as entertaining. A must have for any library or collector.
December 22, 2008
The American Patriot’s Almanac is a great way to get a daily refresher course in American history or a great way to inspire a young person’s love of history. The daily entries provide a short essay on an event for that day in history, and a positive lesson or message we receive from that fact. As part of the “American History Parade”, each day includes a list of other events from that occurred on that date. Each month ends with a bonus of information – from ‘Twelve Great Reasons to Love a Great Country’ in January to ‘Prayers for the American People’ in November.
Once again, Dr. William J. Bennett reminds us why being an American is something to cherish and celebrate.
Once again, Dr. William J. Bennett reminds us why being an American is something to cherish and celebrate.
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