Why Freedom Matters: The Spirit of the Declaration of Independence in Prose, Poetry, and Song from 1776 to the Present

Rating:
Summary: What a collection!
Review: A motley collection of articles more or less remotely connected to patriotism and the American way of life. I some time trying to figure out why some items were included while others were obvious. I think it's not a bad "coffee table" or "bathroom" book where you might want to peruse some of the articles without reading the book from first to last page.

Rating:
Summary: An Important Eclectic Collection
Review: Buy this book for your family, it is truly remarkable. Using everything from famous speeches to modern day slam poetry, "Why Freedom Matters" explains how important the concept of freedom is. The book is broken into five major sections with the various writings set into the theme of each section. The writings reflect different parts of american history from both an American perspective as well as a foreign perspective. D.H. Lawrence wrote a poem about censors that both makes you laugh and shiver at the same time. One of my personal favorites in this book is the letter from Kurt Vonnegut to a chairman of a school board for burning his book. It is his reaction that still gives me hope for our future as a country. This book also contains many women from the annuals of history who are mostly forgotten. This book accomplishes what many school texts do not, giving an appreciation for history without booring the subject to death. There is something here for everybody. This is one that should be added to the personal libraries of every household.