Saturday, October 1

Book Review: A Call To Heroism



Author:  Peter H. Gibbon
Title: A Call to Heroism
Genre: NonFiction
Pages: 277
First Published: 2002
Where I Got It: My Shelf (bought it at a stand at UofM during a fair)

"America is a nation founded on ideals — liberty, justice, and tolerance chief among them — and in A Call to Heroism, Peter Gibbon argues that the heroes we honor are the embodiment of these ideals. Because the very concept of heroism has come under threat in our cynical media age, Gibbon believes that we must forge a new understanding of what it means to be a hero in order to fortify our ideals as we engage our present challenges and face those that lie ahead. Gibbon examines the types of heroes that we have celebrated throughout our history, from George Washington and the warrior hero, to Lucretia Mott and the social reformer hero, to the rise of the athletic hero and today's celebrity culture. Along the way, he contemplates the meanings of seven monuments and artworks dedicated to heroes, including the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, Jean-Antoine Houdon's bust of Benjamin Franklin, and Mount Rushmore, to examine what these things say about the America of their time — and what they mean for Americans today. Full of insight and inspiration, A Call to Heroism is a provocative look at a timeless subject that has never been more important"


This is the third time I've read this book! It's a book that really makes you think and open your eyes to the society we live in today. Even though it says "renewing America's vision of greatness" anyone from anywhere can get something out of this book. It talks about our generations view of "heroes" and what we care about. 


I know it's not a usual book I read and review, but I really adore this book. I love books that open your eyes to reality and the reality is that we, as a Society, are losing our love of heroes. We rather see movies like 'Saw' or whatever instead of movies like 'Batman' or documentaries on our nations heroes. We rather see blood and gore and anti-heroes out in the world. I'll admit I love me a good gore-feast, but I do love to watch movies about a person or people who made a difference in the world. I don't mean to preach, but I tend to after reading this book. Peter Gibbon really stands firm and shows the facts for what they are.


'A Call to Heroism' is a wonderfully written book. You may think it sounds boring because its non-fiction and it preaches about how we rather talk about the bad in people instead of the good they did. However, I think its an important thing for look at and contemplate. Peter Gibbon does an excellent job with this book and you won't be sorry for reading it. 


All-in-all, there is nothing negative I can really say about this novel, except that sometimes he will ramble on and on for a little while until he realizes he was rambling. I do that, so I can't pass judgement. Also, some spots became so dry I could hear the pages cracking... however, I recommend this book to those who would like something different and real to add to their reading list. It really makes you think about who you call a hero or who you SHOULD call a hero. Out of five stars I grant this one 4 stars. It would be 4.4 but I don't do decimals. 




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<3CaroleRae

3 comments:

Elizabeth said...

THANKS for stopping by my blog.

Elizabeth

http://silversolara.blogspot.com

Blodeuedd said...

Hm, ok not for me, just cos :) But 3rd time! THen it must be good

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