Whatever your political leanings may be, a majority of Americans are currently in a state of panic. Whether that panic arises from shock, fear, stress, uncertainty or any of the other thousands of emotions struck by the results of the 2016 Presidential Election, it is clear now more than ever how crucial it is to remain informed so that we can all make smart, educated decisions. I, like everyone else, have no idea what the future holds for this country, but I know that right now my best tool to be ready for whatever may happen is knowledge. In order to truly be knowledgeable, we must not only maintain an understanding of current events but also have a foundation of knowledge about our nation's historical struggles, mistakes, victories and lessons. Philosopher George Santayana said it best when he famously stated, "Those who cannot [learn from] the past are condemned to repeat it." To begin to learn from our nation's past, I asked my history-buff father to provide me with a list of what he believes are the most important history books for Americans to read now so as to equip ourselves with knowledge for the future. As you will notice, many of these books involve subjects of other countries. The world today is small, and all Americans owe it to the country to extend their curiosity and knowledge beyond the Atlantic and pacific oceans. These books also involve asking questions. Being able to dismiss or challenge pre-conceived notions can greatly improve anyone's critical thinking skills. A skill that everyone desperately needs to possess.
1. A Peace to End All Peace - David Fromkin
While this one may be large enough to be used as a door stop, it brings with it critical knowledge about the end of WWI and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. This book outlines the backstory of what caused so much turmoil in the Middle East, and without this knowledge no policymaker can truly understand how to deal with this tumultuous region of the world.
2. A Time for Truth - William E. Simon
Conservative author William Simon served as Secretary of the Treasury under both President Nixon and President Ford, and uses this book to discuss his time serving under each. His overall premise is that America's economic and political freedoms are intricately connected, and you cannot have one without the other. While his work may be "conservative" and also a bit depressing, it is enlightening and important to understand.
3. A Paper House - Mark Thompson
Thompson recounts his experiences as a journalist in Yugoslavia as the country struggles on the brink of dissolution. Now with Yugoslavia having dissolved into the small countries of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Cosovo, and Macedonia, it gives us critical knowledge of the precarious balance of peace and destruction.
4. The Lorax - Dr. Suess
We can all take a lesson from this classic on the importance of environmental responsibility.
5. Vietnam: A History - Stanley Karnow
This book provides a cultural and political history of a far away region that many Americans hardly even knew existed before the Vietnam War, and even now only acknowledge because of it. While this book recounts some French and American involvement in this area, this book is critical knowledge to correct the cultural unawareness of any other "non-american" country.
6. In Retrospect - Robert McNamara
Author McNamara served as Lyndon B. Johnson's Secretary of Defense, and was largely acknowledged as the architect of America's military strategy in Vietnam. This strategy was formed with a wide variety of opinions and beliefs, all of which proved to be incorrect, and McNamara revisits these mistakes. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Americans died as a result of these incorrect strategies. This book is significant because it infers the requirement of our leaders and ourselves to question everything deeply before making a decision, as well as the importance of honestly evaluating our own performance and admitting our mistakes.
7. Siblings Without Rivalry - Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
This parenting book supplies personal advice to handle the struggles of raising children. As my wise father wrote, "If you want to raise kids who care for and support each other, then you have to parent from day 1 in a way that will promote and create an environment for it. The key to our success or failure as a country...any country, is founded in parenting. This book while a bit trite offers good thoughts on the subject. If you are gonna have kids... The 35 year from now contributors to this country... You HAVE TO parent."
