A Call to Heroism: Renewing America's Vision of Greatness

By: Peter J. Gomes and Peter H. Gibbon

Sign Up Now! Already a Member? Log In
You must be logged into Bookshare to access this title. Learn about membership options, or view our freely available titles.

Synopsis: America is a nation founded on ideals - liberty, justice, and tolerance chief among them - and in A Call to Heroism, Peter Gibbon argues that the heroes we honor are the embodiment of these ideals. Because the very concept of heroism has come under threat in our cynical media age, Gibbon believes that we must forge a new understanding of what it means to be a hero in order to fortify our ideals as we engage our present challenges and face those that lie ahead. In a series of essays, Gibbon examines the types of heroes that we have celebrated throughout our history. Along the way, he contemplates the meanings of seven monuments and works of art dedicated to heroes (for instance, Mount Rushmore) to examine what these places and things say about the America of their time - and what they mean for Americans today. Full of insight and inspiration, A Call to Heroism is a provocative look at a timeless subject that has never been more important.