Here Is Where by Andrew Carroll

Here Is Where shares the adventures of Andrew Carroll journey in search of America's sometimes forgotten history. The idea for this book came after he saw the location where Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert, was saved by the brother of Lincoln's assassin, Edwin Booth. Carroll began to wonder what other little known historical facts and places he could come across --- places where extraordinary events happened or people who impacted many lived.  In this book you will find, Here is where...

 ...America’s deadliest maritime disaster took place, a calamity worse than the fate of the Titanic!
 
...a virtually unknown American scientist saved millions of lives.

...modern anesthesia was first used

...a 14 year old got the idea for the creation of television.

...a black woman refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white passenger (and it is not who you are thinking).

As a lover of both history and trivia, I had no doubt I would enjoy this book. I was aware of some of the stories Carroll shared, but many were new to me. I admit I did not share his fascination with some of the stories he chose for the book, but the majority were very interesting and kept me wanting to read more. His style of storytelling kept my interest and he has an amusing way of presenting some of his encounters along the way. These are stories that need to be remembered. 

 FTC Disclaimer: "I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review."

 Andrew Carroll is the executive director of the American Poetry & Literacy Project, a national nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that promotes literacy and encourages a greater public awareness of poetry. The author of several books, he lives in Washington, D.C.

A Nation Under Judgment by Richard Capriola

Has something gone terribly wrong in America? What does it mean to be "one nation under God"? Our Founding Fathers believed it was more than a political slogan. Have we strayed from their vision? A Nation Under Judgment focuses on issues currently facing our country, such as hunger, homelessness, marriage, income inequality and poverty. These subjects are reviewed from a social policy and Scriptural point of view, empowering readers to decide whether or not our nation is.

A Nation Under Judgment: One Nation Apart from God by Richard Capriola is written from the perspective of how our nation currently makes policies and if we seek wisdom from God's point of view. Some of the social policies that are covered by the author include hunger, poverty, marriage, abortion, environmental issues, gambling, and homelessness. Using Scripture, historical data, current laws, and insights on the way our nation seems to be leaning today, Capriola clearly demonstrates that the United States is moving further from the Biblical principles upon which this nation was founded. 

Some would argue that we are not, nor have we never been, "One Nation Under God", but there is clear evidence that the majority of our founding fathers did seek wisdom from God and studied Scripture. "The ability to see things from God's point of view" is the definition of wisdom used in the book and Capriola makes his point that our current lawmakers are further away from seeking wisdom when crafting current laws and decisions that affect the social policies that affect us all.

While I did differ slightly in the author's conclusion in some of the chapters, this is a book that is free from political party views and does give Scripture to back his argument. I do agree with his statement that "One Nation Under God" should be a call to action for our leaders and not merely a slogan. If we continue our current defiance against the wisdom of God, and continue to move away from Him, we will have to face the consequences. Capriola makes a valid argument that "the future of our nation may rest on our commitment to create policies and financial priorities that return us to living out the words---one nation under God". I liked the book, but some of it seemed a bit repetitive. It is easy to read and gives the reader something to think about.

I received a free copy of this book/Ebook/Product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.