"Let us dare to read, think, speak and write" - John Adams...

[ddeclue]

I previously read the McCullough book on Truman and purchased the (much shorter) HBO adaptation and I have been reading the McCullough biography of Adams and received the HBO adaptation of this book into a mini-series as a DVD set this Christmas.

Like the book, the Adams video is just hard to put down and stop watching - it does justice to the original book and Tom Hanks and friends are to be congratulated on bringing it to life on the small screen. It is only unfortunate that it wasn't made into a big screen film.

I wanted to recommend this video to all as a wonderful reminder that liberty must thrive in SPITE of difficulties, dangers and fears for it is the antidote. We must not surrender our liberties to those who fearmonger but rather we must reclaim them.

We are constantly being given the message that these are the worst of times.

They are not.

Our forefathers (and mothers) lived in far more difficult and dangerous times without our myriad resources and comforts and showed far more courage than we in doing so.

We ought to all learn more of our history as the antidote to such fear.

I would recommend giving a gift of history, be it a book, a video, a class, a museum tour, a vacation to a national park or monument or something else historical to others this year when it comes time to give a gift.

You cannot spell "history" without "story" - History is about the telling of great stories that entertain, that educate, that bring us together as one community, that tell us who we were, who we are and what we might become.


Thanks,

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[truedelphi]

1. This is a great idea. One positive thing that happens in bad economic times, is that

people return to reading. And to watching more serious videos, as they have more time on their hands and are no longer need light entertainment to doze of in front of each night.

What better items to read or view than those that are concerned with the principles behind the founding of our democracy?

[JaneQPublic]

2. I just finished watching the last episode of the Adams mini-series

It was stunning to see how many of the issues debated by Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin, etc. have recurred in American history, even to recent years. For instance: Adams' reasons behind the Alien and Sedition Act (the need to limit freedoms to ensure national security), Franklins' argument as to what makes for effective negotiations with foreign countries, Hamilton's pro-military argument that came very close to the Bush pre-emptive war doctrine, and of course Jefferson's populist stand against centralized government.

In short, I highly recommend it. If your local video store doesn't carry "John Adams," then this mini-seris alone is well worth a Netflix membership to get it.