American Patriots & Heroes

Store Location

When a nation turns its back on virtue and honor, those of its people who still hold those ideals in high regard seem to either voice their rage or lapse into sulky nostalgia for the "good old days." But rage only generates more rage, and the good old days (even if they were as great as everyone remembers) will never return. The only profitable response, then, is to remember and celebrate the heroes of the past as examples to imitate and guides toward the future.

Looking back to see ahead seems counterintuitive until you realize the current lack of genuine heroes in positions of political and legal authority. Not that there are none, but increasingly the leadership of the United States is less wise, less virtuous, and simply less fit to lead than has previously been the case. Whether this is because the American people are more apathetic and given to self-pleasure rather than goodness and stability, or because the quality of its leadership has declined, is unclear.

What is clear is that without a desire for virtue true patriotism is impossible—but without true patriotism a return to virtue is equally impossible. It's a vicious cycle....unless we uphold the honorable men and women of our nation's history as examples of good citizens and base our patriotism on their adherence to goodness and nobility.

Men like John Quincy Adams, who continued to serve as a U.S. Representative after his presidency expired, simply because he wanted to serve. Or Sgt. Alvin York, whose Christian pacificism led him to one of the most impressive examples of military heroism in the trenches of France during the First World War. Or Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, a Frenchman whose belief in American ideals led him to leave France in defiance of the king and enlist his services as a military commander in support of the Revolution.

Women like Mary McLeod Bethune, the daughter of former slaves who began a school for African-American students at a time when their education was considered of little importance. Or Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman to ever win the Medal of Honor (for services rendered in the American Civil War). Or the perennial favorite, Pocahontas, who converted to Christianity and married John Rolfe (and who may or may not have saved the life of the wild child John Smith, a notorious liar).

Of course none of these people were perfect, and not everything they did was good or worthwhile. We don't want to ignore their flaws. But we also don't want to dismiss them because they exhibited human characteristics and flaws. What we do want is to remember and learn from their virtues and self-sacrifice on behalf of their nation. Particularly, we want to pass this knowledge on to our children, who are our best hope for a return to goodness and a rejection of the shallowness and evil that pervades our society. This is the kind of patriotism we want to encourage, and the kind of national spirit such patriotism engenders.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

Did you find this review helpful?

Parent Categories

Fiction & Literature

Biographies

Biography by Type of Person

American Patriots & Heroes

51 Items found Print

Active Filters:

Mass market paperback

	And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes from PaperStar Books Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $7.99
	And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Andrew Jackson: Young Patriot Childhood of Famous Americans by George Edward Stanley from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA)
	Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Dover Thrift Editions by Benjamin Franklin from Dover Publications for 9th-Adult in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.00 $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia Landmark Series by Margaret Cousins from Random House Biography for 5th-8th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $5.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Benjamin Franklin: The Autobiography and Other Writings Signet Classics by Benjamin Franklin Reprint from Signet Classics Autobiography for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $5.95
	Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer by Augusta Stevenson from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt! by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 5th-8th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $7.99
	Captain John Smith A Foothold in the New World Heroes of History by Geoff & Janet Benge from Emerald Books for 4th-7th grade in Heroes of History (Location: BIO-BENGE) $11.99
	Crispus Attucks: Black Leader of Colonial Patriots Childhood of Famous Americans by Dharathula H. Millender from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Davy Crockett: Young Rifleman Childhood of Famous Americans by Aileen Wells Parks from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Freedom Train The Story of Harriet Tubman by Dorothy Sterling from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 4th-8th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.99
	Freedom's Children Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories by Ellen Levine from Penguin Putnam Biography for 4th-8th grade in Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) (Location: HISA-20CIV) $7.99
	George Washington's Breakfast by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 1st-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Great Little Madison by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 5th-8th grade 1990 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award in Biographies (Location: BIO) $7.99 $4.50 (2 in stock)
	Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Beecher Preachers by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 5th-8th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.99
	Harriet Tubman Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry from HarperCollins Biography for 4th-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Harriet Tubman Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry from HarperCollins Biography for 4th-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $9.99
	Harriet Tubman: Freedom's Trailblazer Childhood of Famous Americans by Kathleen V. Kudlinski from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 2nd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $5.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Helen Keller: The Story of My Life Signet Classics by Helen Keller Reprint from Signet Classics Autobiography for 7th-10th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $5.95
	In Their Own Words: Abraham Lincoln In Their Own Words by George Sullivan from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 3rd-4th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $3.00 (2 in stock)
	John Muir: Young Naturalist Childhood of Famous Americans by Montrew Dunham from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $10.95
	Martin Luther King, Jr.: Young Man with a Dream Childhood of Famous Americans by Dharathula H. Millender from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Meet George Washington Second Series Landmark / Step Up reprints by Joan Heilbroner from Random House Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.99 $3.00 (3 in stock)
	Meet George Washington by Joan Heilbroner First Scholastic Printing 2001 from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Miracle Worker A Play in Three Acts by William Gibson from Pocket Books Drama for 7th-10th grade in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
	Molly Pitcher: Young Patriot Childhood of Famous Americans by Augusta Stevenson from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Neil Armstrong: Young Flyer Childhood of Famous Americans by Montrew Dunham from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Paul Revere: Boston Patriot Childhood of Famous Americans by Augusta Stevenson from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Pocahontas and the Strangers by Clyde Robert Bulla from Scholastic Inc. Biographies for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Pocahontas: Young Peacemaker Childhood of Famous Americans by Leslie Gourse from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Sojourner Truth Ain't I a Woman? by Patricia & Frederick McKissack from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 4th-7th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Sojourner Truth: Voice for Freedom Childhood of Famous Americans by Kathleen V. Kudlinski from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Squanto Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Robert Bulla from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Stonewall by Jean Fritz & Stephen Gammell from PaperStar Books Biography for 5th-8th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.99
	Story of Harriet Tubman Conductor of the Underground Railroad Dell Yearling Biography by Kate McMullan from Yearling Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Story of Sacajawea Guide to Lewis and Clark by Della Rowland from Yearling Biography for 4th-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.99
	Susan B. Anthony: Champion of Women's Rights Childhood of Famous Americans by Helen Albee Monsell from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Thurgood Marshall: Young Justice Childhood of Famous Americans by Montrew Dunham from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Up From Slavery Penguin Classics by Booker T. Washington from Penguin Classics Autobiography for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $12.00
	Up From Slavery Dover Thrift Editions by Booker T. Washington from Dover Publications Autobiography for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $6.00
	Up From Slavery Penguin Classics by Booker T. Washington from Signet Classics Autobiography for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $5.95
	Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington from Gramercy Books Autobiography for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
	Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May? by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes from PaperStar Books Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $7.99
	Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $6.99
	Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? by Jean Fritz from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
	Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $6.99
	Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? by Jean Fritz from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln A Book of Quotations by Anthony Gross from Dover Publications for 7th-10th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Wit and Wisdom of the American Presidents Dover Thrift Editions by Joslyn Pine from Dover Publications for 8th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $2.50 $1.50 (1 in stock)

Shop

Support

Hours & Directions

Connect