A Time for Freedom

Product Description “No one can fully appreciate the great fortune we have to be Americans without knowing the events that brought us to where we are today.” — Lynne Cheney Did you know that John Adams thought we would celebrate America’s birthday on the second of July? That ten generals went on to become president? That our country has had nine different capitals, including Trenton, New Jersey, and Annapolis, Maryland? Bestselling author and historian Lynne Cheney takes readers through America’s story of freedom in this timeline of key moments in our history along with historic quotatons by great Americans and little-known facts about our country. Starting with our nation’s beginnings, A Time for Freedom places the great events and figures of our history into context and shows the expansion of freedom in America. Filled with fascinating information that creates a textured journey through our nation’s story, A Time for Freedom is a book that every family will want to share. From School Library Journal Grade 9 Up-From the arrival of early migrants from Asia more than 13,000 years ago to 9/11/01, this book presents a time line of American history. Entries are organized by year and range in length from single sentences to brief paragraphs. Although some scientific and cultural happenings are also highlighted, the focus is on political milestones. A unique strength of the volume is its inclusion of quotes from figures living at the time of the incidents described. Students will need guidance from parents, teachers, or other sources to understand the significance of these occurrences in establishing and maintaining our country’s freedom and to place them in their larger historical context. The final chapters lean heavily toward Republican administrations. Ronald Reagan is quoted 11 times, while Bill Clinton is quoted 4 times and 2 of those refer to his private behavior rather than to events underscoring our nation’s freedom. Small, black-and-white reproductions and photos are scattered throughout. While the information presented here is readily available in many other resources, this right-leaning volume offers a quick listing of key moments in American history. -Kathy Lehman, Thomas Dale High School Library, Chester, VA Copyright (c) Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Gr. 5-8. This stroll through history is rather unusual. It’s not really a narrative. Year by year, important incidents from American history are described in short bursts (several lines or perhaps a paragraph) of straight information mixed with quotations. The tone is neutral, but editorial choices have been made in line with Cheney’s political philosophy. For instance, the text noting that “the 1960s were a time of youthful idealism” mentions the Peace Corps and young people directing their hopes toward politics. It then excerpts the founding statement of the conservative Young Americans for Freedom, hardly one of the headlines of 1960. The book ends during the patriotic days after 9/11, thus avoiding the Iraq war and the intelligence failures surrounding it. The book’s biggest problem is its format. Different typefaces and small photos add some interest, but the gray design doesn’t encourage readers. Kids who like history may want to dip in and out of this, and readers less enamored with the topic may find history works for them in digestible bits. An extensive bibliography, including Web sites, will lead readers further. Ilene Cooper Copyright (c) American Library Association. All rights reserved About the Author Lynne Cheney’s most recent book is the New York Times bestseller, We the People: The Story of Our Constitution, illustrated by Greg Harlin. She is also the author of the New York Times bestsellers America: A Patriotic Primer, A is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women, When Washington Crossed the Delaware: A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots, A Time for Freedom: Wh