Updating the American Spirit

The commencement season has commenced and, in some places, ended, for this spring. Having read reports of or seen televised ceremonies, we in the public could find inspiration or reasons for despairing. In cases where the occasions at colleges and universities have descended to being mere celebrations of celebrities on stage at the expense of honoring and chartering graduates in their callings, we can mourn or turn cynical over missed chances to honor the civic order. David McCullough's new The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For is a refreshing, anecdote-crammed antidote, highlighting manifestations of the “American spirit” that are often being neglected in the chaos and polarizations of our time. Let's pause a moment to look at the author, the book, and our prospects.