The belief in “American Exceptionalism” is under attack, declares Larry Alex Taunton, an award-winning author, columnist, and cultural commentator. “A battle rages for the heart and soul of America.”
For Taunton, the question comes down to: Is there a better place to live than America?
To explore the idea of “national greatness,” Taunton went on a global odyssey, visiting some 26 countries. He records his discoveries in his new book, AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS: DISCOVERING WHAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT AND WHY WE MUST FIGHT TO SAVE IT.
If all of this sounds like a slog over some serious philosophic and political terrain, it is, but Taunton’s wry humor leavens the loaf.
In a chapter on Sweden, for example, the author hears, on a boat tour of Stockholm, a litany of Swedish accomplishments from his guides: “America? We discovered that. Skype? We invented it. The flat screen? You’re welcome. IKEA? You guessed it.”
Taunton’s mix of socio-political observations and cheeky wit in AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS opens the book up to a large and diverse group of readers.
The online publication The Federalist says of Taunton’s work: “The social elites want evangelicals to be as dumb as they suspect they are. But when a person comes along who proves that tale false, which Taunton clearly does…they simply don’t know what to do.”
In advance praise for AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS, Paul Reid, co-author with William Manchester, of THE LAST LION: WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL: DEFENDER OF THE REALM, 1940-1965 observes:
Larry Taunton—historian, columnist, and a man of abiding Christian faith—traveled (often at great risk to himself) to twenty-six nations in order to hold a mirror up to the United States of America and ask: Is America Good and is America Great? Mark Twain did much the same more than a century ago. Twain’s and Taunton’s conclusions are identical: There is no place—literally No Place—like home. “Around the World in (More Than) 80 Days is fabulous.” It’s going on my shelf next to “The Innocents Abroad.”
AROUND THE WORLD IN (MORE THAN) 80 DAYS is a book for all seasons.
FAVORITE QUOTE FROM FIRST CHAPTER:
At the end of our journey, we will have discovered one of two things: The Left is right, and America really isn't so great after all, or we will see she remains, as Abraham Lincoln put it, "the last best hope of earth."
BOOK COVER:
It's not flashy at all...to the point. Doesn't leave you guessing what's inside.
FIRST CHAPTER REVIEW:
The first chapter opens with the author giving us the background of Colin Kaepernick. How he started from being adopted to exploring his American dream - playing football in the big leagues. Everyone knows what happened after that but Colin Kaepernick is a prime example of someone who feels as if America has let him down. Let me tell you - this is one interesting chapter. It gives the reader an idea of where the rest of the book is going to go. The point the author is making is...does the American dream exist by taking us to different countries and cultures to help answer that question - what do they think about America? But I digress...this is just about the first chapter. What I find interesting and didn't know is that Colin Kaepernick got involved with radicals and that's what I believe turned him toward hating America. What gets me is that the guy achieved the American dream yet stomped on it, thus reveling in his millions of dollars. So is making money, prospering, what the American Dream is all about? We shall see in the upcoming pages....
KEEP READING?
You're darn right I'm going to keep reading. Getting people from other countries to tell us their perspective sounds more than interesting...it is going to be helpful. Kudos to the author I'm already intrigued. I will have a full review posted once I finish the book.
Amazon →
Amazon → https://amzn.to/2GCuGGY
Meet The Author
Larry Alex Taunton is an American author, columnist, and cultural commentator. A frequent television and radio guest, he has appeared on CNN, CNN International, Fox News, Al Jazeera America, and BBC. You can find his columns on issues of faith and culture in The Atlantic, USA Today, CNN.com, and The Blaze. Taunton has been quoted by Rush Limbaugh, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, TIME, Vanity Fair, and NPR, among others. He is the author of “The Grace Effect” and “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens.”
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