I had just finished reading a book, one of those political thrillers where one tough good guy overcomes a government of corruption (if it were only true), so I was searching for my next book to read. I wanted a book with more action, but at the same time historically significant and spiritually/emotionally fulfilling. I wanted my next good read to matter. Most importantly, I wanted to learn something important. Like many of us, I read the first sentence of the first chapter to get an idea of the story. Here is what I found.
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” (No, that’s not it.)
“Call me Ishmael.” (Not this one either.)
“In the first place we have granted to God and by this our present charter have confirmed, for us and our heirs forever, that the English Church shall be free,…… We have also granted to all the freemen of our kingdom, for ourselves and our heirs for ever, all the liberties written below, to be had and held by them and their heirs from us and our heirs.” (Nope, not yet.)
“The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant window with a pond of clear water in it.” (No.)
“When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” (Sounds exciting, but not it.)
“For a while the freaknic traffic inched up Piedmont…inched up Piedmont…inched up Piedmont…inched up as far as Tenth Street…and then inched up the slope beyond Tenth Street…inched up as far as Fifteenth Street…whereupon it came to a complete, utter, hopeless, bogged-down glue strap halt, both ways, north bound, southbound, going and coming across all lanes.” (I will read this one, but later.)
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Yes, this is definitely the next book I will read!)
There are lots of choices in life, be sure to choose carefully.
Thanks for reading.
“Constitution of the United States of America” – 1789
Moby Dick; or the Whale – Herman Melville
“Magna Carta” – 1215
Black Beauty – Anna Sewell
“Declaration of Independence – The United States” July 4, 1776
A Man in Full – Tom Wolfe
The Bible – God – At the beginning of time.