More than ever, Americans are realizing that if we want to keep this country great, we must be citizen patriots. And here’s the handbook every citizen patriot needs: The Essential American, featuring the fundamental documents of our nation’s history. Compiled by syndicated columnist Jackie Gingrich Cushman and featuring a foreword by her father—bestselling author and former Speaker of the House—Newt Gingrich, The Essential American is the ultimate patriot’s resource.

He was the Great Compromiser, a canny and colorful legislator whose life mirrors the story of America from its founding until the eve of the Civil War. Speaker of the House, senator, secretary of state, five-time presidential candidate, and idol to the young Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay is captured in full at last in this rich and sweeping biography. David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler present Clay in his early years as a precocious, witty, and optimistic Virginia farm boy who at the age of twenty transformed himself into an attorney. The authors reveal Clay’s tumultuous career in Washington, including his participation in the deadlocked election of 1824 that haunted him for the rest of his career, and shine new light on Clay’s marriage to plain, wealthy Lucretia Hart, a union that lasted fifty-three years and produced eleven children. Featuring an inimitable supporting cast including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay is beautifully written and replete with fresh anecdotes and insights. Horse trader and risk taker, arm twister and joke teller, Henry Clay was the consummate politician who gave ground, made deals, and changed the lives of millions.

A vibrant journey through the annals of classic American short stories 21 Essential American Short Stories is a collection of beloved stories that have comprised an important part of the fabric of our culture, from the earliest days of our nation to the twentieth century. Some of the stories, such as Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle,” O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” and James Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” have been long regarded as literary classics, while others, such as Frank Stockton’s “The Lady or the Tiger?” and Ellis Parker Butler’s “Pigs Is Pigs,” are lesser known but well worth discovering. The carefully selected stories, each preceded by an illuminating headnote, powerfully illustrate the varied richness of our national literature and history. This beautifully packaged volume, containing the unforgettable classic short stories that evoke our shared American tradition and national identity, makes the perfect gift for the short story aficionado and novice alike.

The Essential Learning Edition of America's celebrated narrative offers a unique pedagogical program built around core objectives. In-chapter features guide reading, source activities guide analysis, and digital resources reinforce the reading and skill development, all providing a clear path for student success. The Second Edition has been made even more accessible and engaging with a streamlined narrative, expanded visuals, added coverage on the culture of daily life, and NEW History Skills Tutorials.

Among the special features of this book are the following: each entry has at least two example sentences illustrating how the idiom is used in context in natural American English; and a new Phrase-Finder Index enables users to locate a particular idiom quickly by looking up any of its major words.

The Handbook for Americans, Revised Edition is an essential reference guide for every American to the United States and its tradition of freedoms and responsibilities. Now, more than ever, Americans are faced with economic, environmental and philosophical challenges that require a strong response. When we ask ourselves, "What does it mean to be an American? What do we stand for?" we are in fact casting about for the resources and traditions to enable us to meet today's challenges. The Handbook for Americans, Revised Edition features the foundational documents of our democracy--The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and The Bill of Rights--and provides information every American citizen should know about how our government works and the balance of powers set forth by the Nation's founders. An overview of key moments in America's history, including the long march toward equal rights, provides inspiration and a valuable historical perspective. The Handbook for Americans is a comprehensive resource of the traditions, customs, and facts every American should know about their country. The Handbook for Americans is a sourcebook for citizens as we embark into the 21st Century. It is a guide, and a comfort, for the times ahead and the challenges it may bring. It can help us to understand where we are going, by mapping out where we've been.