Philip Dru: Administrator by Edward M. House follows a brilliant West Point graduate’s rise to political power. From the beginning of the book and throughout all of his conversations with Gloria, who he later marries, Philip Dru shows interest in the greater welfare of society. Unfortunately, Dru rests on the false assumption that salvation can … More Philip Dru: The Guise of Welfare and the Death of Liberty
Edward M. House, an influential advisor during Woodrow Wilson’s administration, wrote Philip Dru: Administrator (1912) during the beginning of the Progressive Era. Rapidly, U.S. politics became dominated by Progressive idealism and the hope for a brighter future. All of the country’s past classical liberal ideals regarding federalism, constitutionalism, limited government, free trade, non-interventionism, etc., were … More Philip Dru and the 16th Amendment
The three most recent authors added to my catalogue of half-decent American writers are O. Henry, Jack London, and Ambrose Bierce. As Dr. Gary North likes to say, we have entered a new regime. In this case, that quote pertains to 19th-century American authors. This section first began with the nonsensical writings of James Fenimore … More O. Henry: America’s Greatest Writer?
A Place for Twain After going through multiple of Mark Twain’s stories for Dr. Gary North’s English class, I have discovered where Twain lies in the catalogue of American authors and whether there is a place for his humorous writings or not. Surely the vast majority of literate Americans—which, in fairness, are far and few … More A Place for Mark Twain
Despite its short brevity, the Gettysburg Address has come down as one of the most influential speeches given in American history. It was only three paragraphs long, but it became the North’s creed for the rest of the Civil War. Today, selections from that creed are still remembered and exonerated as the mission statement of … More Lincoln Mastered the Sound of the King James Bible
Asher K. Sisneros Dr. Gary North American Literature January 2, 2025 Mark Twain wrote a scathing review of his contemporary James Fenimore Cooper, Cooper’s Literary Offenses. Both were 19th-century American fictional authors, but Twain thought Cooper was an embarrassment to the literary profession and said he broke 114/115 rules of good literature in his novel, … More Mark Twain thought Cooper Sucked. Was He Right?
Asher K. Sisneros Dr. Gary North American Literature December 23, 2024 Washington Irving was the first American author with international prowess, and he used words masterfully, painting a picture in his readers’ minds. His two most prominent tales are The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. Both, though very different, share light-hearted and … More Irving and the Legend of Detailed Descriptions
Upon Washington’s death, interest in his private life—and the man behind the public image—only increased, and Weems answered that demand by writing “Life of Washington.” It immediately became an instant success and retained popularity. Through the 19th century, it was among the most popular books in America, and many of the stories in his biography continue to be taught to young children in modern-day America. But the question is, how accurate is the biography, and is it believable? Is it an insightful piece of American scholarship or crude propaganda meant to deify the chief Founding Father? … More Life of Washington: Humorous Embellishment
Asher K. Sisneros Dr. Gary North American Literature December 5, 2024 Note: Dr. Gary North’s writing prompt this morning was amusing. He said, “If you wanted to make money by writing a self-improvement book for Americans, what would you write about?” Well, ol’ North, here’s your answer. If I wrote a self-improvement book for Americans, … More My Ticket to Wealth, Fame, and Prestige
Imperialism and liberty cannot coexist within this house we strive to build. Patriotism and nationalism are fine byproducts, but at what cost do we make them our underlying goal? If greatness on the world stage becomes our goal, we will inadvertently sell liberty. Perhaps we will gain international prowess as Hamilton hopes for, but what if the principles of liberty that inspired this conflict in the first place become forgotten and get lost in the process of striving for greatness? … More The Constitution and American Imperialism
Asher Sisneros 