From Sea to Shining Sea

Book Description

"Splendid...Thom tells the story with humor and eloquence, and a thumping good tale it is, too."
THE WASHINGTON POST
In one generation, the Clark family of Virginia fought for our nation's independence, and explored, conquered, and settled the continent from sea to shining sea. This powerfully written book recreates the warm life of the family, the dangers of the battlefield, the grueling journeys across an untamed wilderness, and the soul-stirring Lewis and Clark Expedition. This mighty epic is a fitting tribute to the wisdom and courage of Ann Rogers Clark, her husband John, and the ten sons and daughters they nurtured and inspired.

Customer Reviews:

The Lewis and Clark Expedition.......2007-09-26

From Sea To Shining Sea is an excellent account of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Pacific Northwest It also describes most interestingly the participants and how they related to each other.

A National Treasure.......2006-08-01

This is truly a treasure. Even if you don't like history, you will find yourself wanting to know more after reading this book. It would be a great read, side by side, in an American history class. Students reading about the lives of people and how they were affected by each of those early events in our history would surely enjoy the class a lot more.

I wish it was printed in hardcover or large print.

From Sea to Shining Sea.......2006-01-24

This is an remarkable view of the early history of the forming and then growing United States through the experiences of several generations of the extraordinary Clark family. The story weaves together the real life experiences of this family showing the trials, challenges and rugged life in our western frontier as it moved from western Virginia into the the Ohio river valley and on to the vast region west of the Mississippi river that culminates in the Rogers & Clark expedition. If one enjoys early american history or an intense novel packed with drama, this is a book that will hold your attention.

Loved it as a teenager - still love it now.......2005-10-12

I found this book in my mom's book shelf when I was 16 and never gave it back. The cover has fallen off and I lost most of the last page! It is exciting, colorful, sometimes funny, sometimes frightful but a great step into the history of the US through the eyes of a proud mother of 10!

Awesome historical fiction .......2005-08-16

Great book for young and old readers. Good historical accuracy and action packed. Read it 15 years ago and have recommeneded it to others and now my 19 year old son is totally engrossed in it

From Sea to Shining Sea: A Treasury of American Folklore and Folk Songs

Average customer rating:

From Sea to Shining Sea
A great resource for teachers and others.
wonderful resource for home and classroom educators
A wonderful treasury for elementary age students.

From Sea to Shining Sea: A Treasury of American Folklore and Folk Songs

Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Textbook Binding

Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0590428683

Customer Reviews:

From Sea to Shining Sea.......2003-11-28

This book is a treasury of poems, songs, and stories, from the great country of the US :) The songs are traditional, and, if you have a little skill in piano, flute, recorder, or mallet percussion, you can play them with ease.

The poems are okay, and they include Paul Revere's Ride, which is wonderful.

The stories are also interesting, and they probably aren't ones that you've ever heard before; all of them are 'G' rated, except for one that might be a little scary for little kids in the first section about a girl whose fingers were smashed off by her father and brothers (gross).

This book is okay, but it isn't the greatest thing out there.

A great resource for teachers and others........2003-03-14

I've used this book in my work as a substitute teacher in elementary school and as a Scout leader. It reflects the
diversity of American culture - good Native American tales, for example. The continuity of the illustrations - each illustrator does one section - is a nice touch.

wonderful resource for home and classroom educators.......2001-11-02

A beautiful book with a terrific variety of offerings. I homeschool and have used this book repeatedly through the years with a 10 year old and now a 5 year old. This book gives an excellent foundation for each of the subjects covered in its separate chapter. There are stories, poems, brief non-fiction pieces, and songs that include simple but nicely creative piano accompaniment. You'll find everything from scary southern folk tales to "Who's on First" to a brief, accessible and sad report of Isabel's "cleansing" of Spain. The writers and artists are incredibly diverse, and include Norman Finkelstein, Longfellow, and Leo and Diane Dillon. The fact that the above and many others can seamlessly exist is a wonderful testament to the talents of the editors, Cohn and Bang. Perhaps they could compile an equally terrific anthology of world lit for kids; I'd snap it up. My kids love it and will gladly pick it up on their own to pore over the beautiful artwork.

A wonderful treasury for elementary age students........1997-02-07

This is a wonderful book that is full of american folklore. It includes stories, poetry, folk songs, and illustrations. The illustrations are fabulous and are by well-known picture book artists including Marcia Brown, Barbara Cooney, Leo and Diane Dillon, Trina Schart Hyman, Chris Van Allsburg, and Ed Young. The folktale retellings are well-written and are appropriate for reading out loud as well as fourth grade reading level and above. The included folk songs have the musical score as well as the lyrics. I highly recommend this book for parents and teachers.

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies: From Sea to Shining Sea Level 3

Average customer rating:

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies: From Sea to Shining Sea Level 3

Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin School
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0395527260

Average customer rating:

A terrific read!

New York (From Sea to Shining Sea)
Kristin Cotter
Manufacturer: Children's Press (CT)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0516224859

Customer Reviews:

A terrific read!.......2005-03-22

This is a really fun book about New York. If you want to know all there is to know about the Empire State, this book is for you. There are lots of great pictures and maps and the overall layout is superb. The author really knows A LOT about New York, and so will you once you pick up this book!

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Maryland (From Sea to Shining Sea)
Dennis B. Fradin
Manufacturer: Children's Press (CT)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0516038206

Average customer rating:

Check Into It
innacurate, nationalistic hubris
Leaves more questions than it answers
Parents, look first. . .
A wonderful book; a flawed premise

From Sea to Shining Sea
Peter Marshall , and David Manuel
Manufacturer: Revell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0800753089

Book Description

God's plan for America unfolded as an infant nation plunged westward after the 1783 Treaty of Paris. This sequel to The Light and the Glory tells the story of expansion across a continent through 1837.

Customer Reviews:

Check Into It.......2006-06-05

I liked this book better than The Light And The Glory. It is true, and must be admitted by those who look at history objrctively, that the Christian religion has had an enormous impact on the course of events in the United States . . . much more so than secular historians would have us believe. My favorite part was the minute account of the Second Great Awakening - particuarly the revival meetings in Kentucky. But these books, in and of themselves, are not going to give an individual a balenced view of U.S. history. It is just too biased. The authors have attempted to put a religous construction on all key events, and on all key men behind those events. Too much gloss. But you won't regret reading it. It's good reading, and I learned a lot from it.

innacurate, nationalistic hubris.......2004-12-31

Texts like these are best kept in the religious tract section of the bookstore. The authors did indeed do a good job researching trivial details, which makes the text read like a novel and gives it an air of authority.

As a high school AP American history teacher, I'd like to use this book in my class to show my students an example of the kind of mythologizing that can lead to international misunderstanding and war... but I'm afraid of helping the authors earn their royalties. A cursory examination of the sample pages alone reveals at least 3 historical errors.

The authors unapologetically subscribe to an "American exceptionalist" school of thought. Students should be taught the danger of believing that God is on the side of your coutry, of equating Deuteronomy-era Israel with modern-day America (or any other country). Do we want to teach our children to attack people who don't agree with our beliefs, or do we want them to explore a diversity of opinions and grow up into sympathetic, adults who embrace the values of agape love? (My favorite teachings of the Founding Fathers and Jesus, respectively)

I teach my students to be aware of different approaches to history and to be wary of both historical myth and revisionism - this text might best be described as Christian revisionist history. Most responsible historians learn the flaws of whiggish, Providential models of history early in their careers. These authors, apparently, did not.

For the curious, those 3 errors I noticed are:
-The suggestion that Franklin wavered in his faith, that he had "failed to accept Christ," is unfounded. Franklin was always a profoundly spiritual man, a Freemason, and a self-described deist. As the text's quote later shows (and the Lutheran university he lent his name to), Franklin fully recognized the pragmatic value of the Christian religion.
-To say "[In 1776] the states supported each other totally and without thinking," (p. 17) undermines the fact that there was a great deal of ambivalence about whether to accept the Declaration, and there was a sizable Tory minority (some historians say up to 30% of the colonial population) immediately prior to and during the Revolution.
-If concealing the problem of slavery in metaphors wasn't enough (p. 20), the authors suggest that the Pilgrims of New England had from the start rejected slavery, that the Puritans were somehow critical of the practice. Indeed, much of America's white supremacist past was justified by Puritan ideology. The first colony to legalize slavery (in 1641) was Massachusetts!

Leaves more questions than it answers.......2003-01-01

This is an example of Christian "scholarship" at close to its worst. In fact, there are so many problems with this book that it is hard to know where to start. The authors presume to know God's will for America -- a pretty big assumption in itself -- and try to use evidence to support it. The problem is, they disregard anything that can't fit into their nice New England Calvinist box. For example, there is little or no discussion of the slavery question and the Constitutional Convention, even from a Christian perspective. In addition, the ramifications of Manifest Destiny to the Native Americans and the future of America are ignored.

Even worse, the authors try to squeeze in their own political views by trying to draw a straight line from the Federalists of Washington's era to the Republicans of today and Jefferson's Democrat-Republicans to the modern Democratic Party. This especially came out when they described the Federalists as "pious." Unfortunately, from a historical standpoint no such straight line exists.

On top of that, the book has way too many factual errors and the writing is uneven at best. They spend only three pages on ratification of the Constitution and five on the pork-eating habits of settlers on the frontier.

Unfortunately, this book has been and will be used in many Christian schools and with many Christian homeschool parents. However, I would say skip it. Read Mark Noll instead.

Parents, look first. . ........2002-08-15

"The Light and the Glory" is a beautifully written, well-researched book -- which I cannot recommend, especially as a primary homeschooling text, without serious caveats.

The positives: The authors, Peter Marshall and David Manuel have done enormous research. They have demonstrated that what is taught in the typical history book doesn't necessarily tell the entire story. They have acknowledged the role of faith, and religion have played in our nation's early history. They have the gift of making characters "come alive" in a way that would interest a student -- even one who didn't care much for history.

HOWEVER: The authors have a fixed thesis firmly in mind and head toward that thesis without swerving -- and that thesis is one with which even most persons of faith would struggle. The thesis? A staunch Calvinist view of the role of America in the mind of God. As a believer -- who is adamantly NOT a Calvinist -- I cannot accept the particular (and peculiar) methods of exegesis which somehow create America as the new "Promised Land". Neither can most other Christians.

I'm also a bit concerned that the authors attempt (on the one hand) to analyze the state of the soul of Andrew Jackson (no "benefit of the doubt there!") while labeling John Quincy Adams -- a member of the Unitarians -- as "the last Puritan".

I fear that in their struggle to demonstrate their thesis, certain elements are glossed over; certain facts are whitewashed, etc. While it could certainly be argued that Calvinism played a major role in the establishment of the Colonies and in early America, it can also be argued that such did not have the salutory benefits which the authors suggest are there.

My advice to homeschooling parents, especially those who are not Calvinists, is to use this book with care, as a secondary source -- or not at all. The presentation given is far too biased to be reliable.

A very cautious three stars.

A wonderful book; a flawed premise.......2000-07-26

Like my review of Marshall and Manuel's earlier book "The Light and the Glory", I admire the clarity of the authors' thesis, and the forthright way with which they attempt to demonstrate that thesis.

Unfortunately, to accept their thesis, one must adhere to a very particular view of philosophy, theology and history -- a view held largely by Calvinist Christians. Thus, other Protestants, as well as Catholics (to say nothing of members of other religions) will find some of the authors' presuppositions very difficult to accept.

Book Description

In 1922, just out of college and at loose ends, E. B. White set off across America in his Model T. He left his map at home, but packed his typewriter and dictionary—his true destination, he tells us, was the world of letters. Along the way, he also discovered America:

"My own vision of the land—my own discovery of it—was shaped, more than by any other instrument, by a Model T Ford...a slow-motion roadster of miraculous design—strong, tremulous, and tireless, from sea to shining sea."

White first wrote about the flivver in "Farewell to Model T," which appeared in the New Yorker in 1936. Rich in comic descriptions of the T's many eccentricities and the absurd demands it put on its devoted owners, this was the first of White's essays to bring him fame. It is here published for the first time with "From Sea to Shining Sea," in which he conjures the backroads and main streets of an unspoiled America. Together, these essays are an affectionate tribute to the car that holds a mythic place in the American imagination.

Customer Reviews:

Attention getter for "T" owners.......2007-03-08

I bought this for my husband for Valentine's since he owns a Model T. He said he really enjoyed reading it. He had heard about the book a while back but had never read it until now. It must have been good for him to read it instead of his car magazines!

The Quintessential American Writer.......2007-01-10

If you are only familiar with E.B.White from his children's books, this pair of essays is a great way to treat yourself to the genius of his beautifully simple yet brilliant essays. Several others have been published in small book form in recent years, notably This Is New York. Find out why Mr. White was the mainstay of The New Yorker for 50 years. Elements of Style is still being taught in high schools and colleges today, despite a plethora of new and more elaborate books on writing. He is the master!

White is good, editing is not.......2006-10-21

This edition ranks only a "3" -- not because of any flaw in E. B. White's prose, but because it lacks appropriate editing. The essay "Farewell to Model T" was not solely written by White, but this fact is found on Google, not in the book. A few minutes to write a brief introduction would have been a better editorial choice.

From Sea to Shining Sea for Children: Discovering Gods Plan for America in Her First Half-Century of Independence, 17871837

Average customer rating:

A continuation of the great Christian heritage of our nation

From Sea to Shining Sea for Children: Discovering Gods Plan for America in Her First Half-Century of Independence, 17871837
Peter Marshall , David Manuel , and Anna Wilson Fishel
Manufacturer: Revell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0800754840
Release Date: 1993-10-01

Book Description

From Sea to Shining Sea for Children tells Americas story during its first fifty years. These were the days of Benjamin Franklin and Daniel Boone, Francis Asbury and Charles Finney, Andrew Jackson and Sam Houston. During these years Conestoga wagons and circuit riders became famous, Indian wars and slavery were major concerns, and the Louisiana Purchase and the Oregon Trail expanded Americas boundaries from sea to shining sea. But God was also at work in the young nation, giving its settlers exciting opportunities to shape its history and to be His people. This book, written primarily for young people in the middle grades, includes study questions for each chapter and helps its readers see Gods part in American history.

Customer Reviews:

A continuation of the great Christian heritage of our nation.......1999-06-17

Once I read The Light and The Glory with my children, I knew that their education in American history would not be complete without this book. We were not disappointed. This book continues the narration of the great Christian heritage of the USA. As the settlers struggled to carve out a nation and our fledgling country grappled with issues between ourselves, our neighboring countries, and the Native American nation within our new boundaries, faith in God prevailed. The evidence for perseverence in faith is an inspiration to my children when they face daily struggles that are not as monumental. "Review" questions stimulate deep thought about the moral responsibility each one of us has to our country and our God. As with the first book, this is a great character building tool for our future citizens.

Average customer rating:

Great State Report Book

Wyoming (From Sea to Shining Sea)
Alexandra Hanson-Harding
Manufacturer: Children's Press (CT)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0516224905

Customer Reviews:

Great State Report Book.......2007-05-13

In California, in the 5th grade, students are expected to pick a state and write a report about it. My daughter, who is 10, picked Wyoming and we ordered this book. It was perfect! Lots of good information, presented at a level ideal for her age group and presented in a way that drew her in and kept her reading. I would highly recommend as an outstanding reference!

Includes the history of Wyoming, famous people from the area, information about the native American's from the area, details on the National parts, such as Yellowstone and much more.

Seizing Destiny: How America Grew from Sea to Shining Sea

Average customer rating:

historeography done well
I read Mr. Kluger's previous work...

Seizing Destiny: How America Grew from Sea to Shining Sea
Richard Kluger
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0375413413
Release Date: 2007-08-07

Book Description

From the Pulitzer Prize–winning social historian Richard Kluger, Seizing Destiny is a sweeping chronicle of how the vast territory of the United States was assembled to accommodate the aspirations of its people—regardless of who objected. It is a remarkable story of how Americans extended their sovereignty from the Atlantic coastline to the mid-Pacific in the first 125 years of their national existence.

America’s surge to dominion was equally admirable and appalling. The nation’s pioneer generations were, to be sure, blessed with remarkable energy, fortitude, and boundless faith in their own prowess. They were also grasping opportunists, ravenous in their hunger to possess the earth, who justified their often brutal aggression by demeaning the humanity of nonwhites.

These visionary nation-builders proclaimed earnestly, if not innocently, their own rectitude to be the force behind the heroic “taming” of the wilderness and saw in this triumph the hand of Providence. Their good fortune was thus transformed into a mission of continental entitlement—their “manifest destiny,” as they began calling it well after the process was under way. Yet declaring it did not make it so. As we see, luck and their foes’ weaknesses played no less a role.

In a compelling drama, vivid with historical detail, we watch three of the most brilliant Founding Fathers—Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and John Adams—outfox British, French, and Spanish diplomats to win more than ample boundaries for their new republic. Finesse, however, had little to do with General Andrew Jackson’s Indian-slaughtering and disdain for the Spanish garrison in capturing Florida. Or with Secretary of State John Quincy Adams’s bluff and bluster in gaining for the nation a northwest passage to the Pacific. Or with how the singleminded James Polk, devious and manipulative, confected a war with Mexico and thereby amassed more land than any other U.S. President.

We learn why the nation’s most famous acquisition, France’s Louisiana Territory, had little to do with Thomas Jefferson’s foresight and everything to do with Napoleon’s failure to subdue black freedom fighters in the jungles of Haiti. Sam Houston tried vainly to prevent the predictably suicidal defense of the Alamo before he could rally rowdy Texans to win their independence. William Seward, in just one week, overcame political disrepute and convinced a hostile Senate to approve his secret deal with Russia to buy seemingly useless Alaska. And Teddy Roosevelt connived with the Panamanians to win land for the canal that so enhanced America’s economic dominance.

Comprehensive and balanced, Seizing Destiny is a stunning reinterpretation of American history, revealing great accomplishments along with the American tendency to confuse success with heaven-sent entitlement.

Customer Reviews:

historeography done well.......2007-09-22

Unlike the prior one star reviewer, who prefers patriotic happy talk (and defends tobacco companies), this is real American history by a fine popular historian.

I read Mr. Kluger's previous work..........2007-08-17

on the tobacco industry and, having worked for the industry during the key period in question, found his conclusions sophomoric at best. Now this: America is guilty. Everything America ever did is wrong and our hands are bloody. We're killers.

Save your $ unless you too also enjoy trashing your country.

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