Reading Challenge 2016: Daniel Webster

#vtReadingChallenge

Week 23: A biography

Daniel Webster: Defender of the Union
by Robert Allen

Engaging and Informative

This book is well written for school aged children. There are some parts of the book in which I question its accuracy because we are not told certain instances were recorded in a diary or otherwise. How can we know what Daniel though before he drifted off to sleep at age 5? The use of the quotes and other such instances makes the work appear unreliable to an adult - a child would not question it (which could be problematic). Thankfully, we are moved into a time where there is more resources documenting his life within a few chapters.

While I have different political persuasions from Daniel Webster, the book is still interesting to read and engaging, though at times it appears as an apologetic for Webster's beliefs. The sentiment that America is a Christian nation and great because of that is present, but not overwhelming.

I really enjoyed learning about this great man and his times. Honestly, seeing how the political situation was in his day gives me a little more hope than I had before this reading. This isn't the first time we've been faced with bad options, but if we all do our part maybe we can still pull through as have in the past.

3.5 stars. Recommend.

This review appears as part of the Reading Challenge 2016. To see other books in the challenge, click here.