In 1776, Thomas Paine anonymously produced Common Sense, a pamphlet advocating for colonial independence from Great Britain. If Paine’s revolutionary words had been revealed to the British authorities prior to their publication in the colonies, his writings most certainly would have resulted in his death. Paine insisted that British rule was directly responsible for nearly every problem in colonial society. Paine’s political views and his fellow revolutionaries’ actions led to the formation of a more perfect union. Today, that union is under attack.
Like Paine, Norman W. Holden is unabashed in his calling for renewed independence and a national uprising. For Love of Country: Common Sense 2.0 will strike at the nerve that troubles most all Americans. Sickened by our national complacency and polarization, a widening political divide, and our wayward government, Holden’s editorial and ultimate diagnosis for America may be a hard pill to swallow. With freedom at risk, Americans have little choice but to accept this cure.
Holden notes that his opinions may “trigger” some readers, yet the civic engagement and concrete steps he calls for (term limits, reduce the size of government, a return to the gold standard) are much less divisive than much contemporary rhetoric, and he fully supports the separation of church and state and vigorously denounces any impulse toward violence. Holden aims to inspire citizens to serve the country, their communities, and to again feel, in the face of the flag and the national anthem, “a heartfelt swell of pride to one’s chest and mist to the eyes.” He sees this mission in contrast to the “Marxist” impulses behind environmentalism, campaigns to “censor” history, and the efforts of “self-appointed global elites [who] seek to cripple our national and individual sovereignty.”
Citations support some claims, but readers may appreciate a deeper exploration of some of his boldest assertions—is crippling sovereignty really the goal of those “elites”? Instead, this brisk,compact, occasionally repetitive text establishes a moral vision for where he believes the country should go. What shines through every page is this patriot’s commitment to American virtues.
Takeaway: A patriot’s call for a commitment to American virtues and smaller government.
Comparable Titles: Mike Lee’s Our Lost Constitution, Joshua Charles’s Liberty’s Secrets.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A-
