Review: Some Successful Americans

SOME SUCCESSFUL AMERICANS by Sherman Williams

I anxiously dove into this recently formatted e-book by Sherman Williams! I was intrigued, it was written in 1904 for a particular audience. Mr. Williams in his opening pages begins, “As superintendent of schools I frequently talked with boys who were in doubt as to what they should do in life, and who felt that there were very few opportunities in the business world of to-day for those without money and influence.” Mr. Williams was a Superintendent of Schools in Glen Falls, N.Y. at the time.

What I wondered was, if what he was saying in 1904 still could apply to our boys AND girls in 2008. The book was electronically reprinted in 2006. What I found surprised me!
There were names that I knew, such as Abraham Lincoln, Louisa M. Alcott, Eli Whitney and Benjamin Franklin and others that I had only casually or never heard of, such as Leland Stanford, Francis Willard and Mary Lyon. In all there are biographies on 14 Americans, who all qualify as successful.

The reading is targeted to an older elementary, middle or high school audience, since some of the biographies are quite lengthy (the electronic book is 108 pages). The biographies are AMAZING! The recurring theme was that hard work and determination and a faith in God lead to success, then and NOW….

In a modern world, this book would serve to reinforce timeless values that can be seen through the success of these Amazing people. Students will find out facts that are not often found in biographies, for example:

Of Lincoln he wrote;

In 1816 the Lincolns moved to Spencer, Indiana, where for nearly a year they lived in a “half-faced camp,” a rude cabin enclosed on three sides, the fourth being partly screened by the skins of animals. In one corner was a rough fireplace made of sticks and clay, also a chimney of the same material. The furniture of the house was of the rudest description and of home manufacture. The cabin which later took the place of the “half-faced camp” had no floor, door, nor window. Abraham slept on a bed of leaves in the loft. There was no stairway, but in its place were wooden pegs driven into the wall.

Lincoln was now in his eighth year. His dress consisted of a shirt of linsey-woolsey, a homespun stuff made from a mixture of cotton and wool, colored, if at all, with dyes obtained from roots and bark. He wore cowhide boots or moccasins, deerskin leggings, a hunting shirt of the same material, and a “coon-skin” cap. He never wore stockings until he was a man. Now that he was strong enough to work he was put to such tasks as bringing tools, carrying water, dropping seeds, and picking berries.

On its own or as mini-unit studies, this book is truly timeless! You will notice occasional misspellings, as it was in the original text. Each of these Americans began life with less than desirable circumstances and rose above adversity to become great Americans who contributed greatly to our nation, in one way or another. I will be using these biographies in my own home school with my own children. I recommend this book as a supplement to any American History course or Life Prep class. It’s wonderful to have this gem published in electronic format for this generation.

Some Successful Americans can be purchased from CJ Press.

Reviewed by Lori

Tags: history, Literature, Reviews, Unit Study

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