No work is more fitting for the 250th anniversary of America than Matthew Spalding’s The Making of the American Mind: The Story and Meaning of the Declaration of Independence. As Spalding notes, the 250th anniversary offers an opportunity to relearn American history and rediscover self-evident truths.
I should note upfront that I worked for Dr. Spalding as a research assistant, and I expected this book to be good. It far exceeded my expectations. And nothing could have prepared me for the emotional climax of the epilogue, “Iron Men.” After turning the last page, I sat stunned, grateful, and full of wonder at what our Founders accomplished and sacrificed.
