A new textbook that isnt afraid to teach the history of American greatness and hope

Something has gone seriously wrong with the way we have been teaching American history.The grand story of America has been shattered into a thousand pieces.

And it has become loaded with ideological baggage that has alienated many of our young from their own past.The textbooks assigned to our high-school and college students are part of the problem.They are turgid and unreadable, lacking in both conviction and literary flair.

They do little or nothing to inspire in young Americans a sense of living connection to what has come before them.What would it take to reverse this sorry state of affairs? To remind students that they live not in an evil empire, but a land of hope? A fresh retelling of the American story would be an excellent beginning.I wrote “Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story” seven years ago to give American students that retelling, an alternative to the texts with which they were being taught.Now, we’re releasing a second edition of “Land of Hope,” in a dedicated textbook format — designed with the input of countless teachers and students in mind — that seeks to spread this message further.In creating this book, we went against many of the prevailing currents.

First, we made the decision to produce a physically beautiful book — not an ebook or a PDF.It is meant to be a pleasure to hold and read and to become a permanent part of young people’s libraries.

A physical book is not only demonstrably better than a screen for reading comprehension, but it embodies permanence and stability in a way that a digital product cannot.The all-digital products that the publishing giants are pushing will leave nothing behind to fill the student’s empty shelves … or their minds.We also refused to dumb down the reading level.

The book is written with the conviction that we should aim high and never sell short the capacity of our young people.Such books are far more likely to fire their imaginations and convey the excitement of...