I quite typically enjoy reading books that are historical in nature, especially concerning our nation. I love reading about our founding, the strength of will that it took to accomplish, and I believe that we have drifted away from many of those principles in more recent history.
So I was excited to receive a copy of Larry P. Arnn’s The Founders’ Key. However, I was quite disappointed.
Subtitled The Divine and Natural Connection Between the Declaration and the Constitution and What We Risk by Losing It, I was sure this would be an enlightening read. I was wrong.
I agree with much of the premises outlined by Arnn in The Founders’ Key. I just could not read it for any extended period of time without getting extremely bored.
What Arnn had to say was valid, and his point is quite accurate. But his style is dry and hard to take. Much of what he says has been written in other places, and his bibliography is full of other excellent resources containing similar discussions. But Arnn has alienated much of his audience with his dry prose. While I agree with most of what he says, I could barely make it though the way he said it.
The most redeeming aspect of the book comes in Part II: Foundational Readings. Here, Arnn has collected several fundamental American documents, gathering them into one convenient place for reference. These documents include:
- The Declaration Of Independence
- The Constitution of the United States of America
- Federalist No. 10: The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection (Continued)
- Federalist No. 39: The Conformity of the Plan to Republican Principles
- Federalist No. 48: These Departments Should Not be So Far Separated as to Have No Constitutional Control Over Each Other
- Federalist No. 49: Method of Guarding Against the Encroachments of Any One Department of Government by Appealing to the People Through a Convention
- Federalist No. 51: The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments
- “Property” by James Madison
While fundamentally I agree with most of Arnn’s work here, and I love the collection of early American documents gathered, I was disappointed with The Founders’ Key. My recommendation is to save your money. If you need a collection of early American documents, try The Portable Patriot or The American Patriot’s Almanac. Like me, I’m sure you’ll like these much better.
Do you enjoy early American history? If not, what period is your favorite? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
If you are interested in purchasing The Portable Patriot or The American Patriot’s Almanac, you can find them at Amazon.com. Click on either title to be taken to the appropriate Amazon.com page.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“