|
In startling contrast with his MSNBC show "Hardball," Chris Matthews has composed a moving reflection about America. Whether you are a "Hardball" fan or critic, you will find this book both insightful and moving. Matthews does not redefine America but instead reawakens us to the notions that make America such a grand nation.
In AMERICAN, Matthews proposes "Ten Grand American Notions:" a self-made country, the constant rebel, the reluctant warrior, the common man, the lone hero, the underdog, pioneers, action, optimism and American exceptionalism. Each notion is accompanied by stories of American legends that personify it. The "characters" of the book are both fictional and real-life heroes. Whether speaking of Casablanca's Ricky or former President John F. Kennedy, Matthews captivates his audience with fascinating quips, motivating quotes and heartfelt memoirs.
Perhaps the greatest aspect of this book is its timeliness. In a time of international turmoil and political conflict, AMERICAN reminds us of what our nation was founded on, what it has endured, what it is we are fighting to defend. Void of personal bias and political preferences, Matthews delivers an objective view of our country's history. He hails the good --- George Washington's perseverance during the Revolutionary War, the heroic firefighters of September 11 --- without forgetting to condemn the evils of corrupt politics and slavery.
AMERICAN is written in a conversational style not often seen in history texts. Rather than continuous narrative, Matthews prefers to tell the story through short glimpses of the past. Appropriate pictures are interspersed among the pages, breaking the chapters into more readable portions.
The only downfall of the book is that by the last few chapters the endless stories and quotes become tiresome and begin to lack life, which left me wishing for some of Matthews' trademark witticism. Overall, however, this is a great piece of work that every American should read.
--- Reviewed by Melissa Brown
• Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.
© Copyright 1996-2008, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.
Back to top.
|
