America, a Redemption Story: Choosing Hope, Creating Unity
[{'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-4 review-rating', 'review_body': '*Note – I do not let political opinions affect my reviews. I review books based on the content, not the affiliations or policies of the authors. I encourage other reviewers to do the same and rate the content; instead of just giving a good or bad review because of your political opinions and how they compare to the author’s.\n\nThis book has 18 main chapters, and a total of about 209 pages, not including the Acknowledgements and Notes. At the end of the book there is a Photos section, with 16 different pictures of Scott and his family and friends.\n\nThe book starts with a Foreword written by Scott’s mother, Frances “Mama” Scott. She describes some of her early memories, and lessons learned from her own father. The Foreword is short, but Mama Scott beautifully conveys her pride in her son’s accomplishments, and her joy that some of her father’s lessons are alive and well in her son.\n\nScott starts the book by describing some of his early memories and influences. He describes his parents splitting up and having to move in with his grandparents, and memories of watching wrestling and gardening with his grandfather. He remembers the Miracle Catch in a Cowboys game, getting his front teeth knocked out, and playing football as a kid. Scott picks out certain specific events that seemed to change the course of his life, like meeting mentors or a surviving a bad car accident.\n\nStarting in Chapter 6, Scott switches things up and includes some inspirational stories from other Americans throughout history. In Chapter 6 he briefly summarizes the stories of John Wanamaker and Madam C.J. Walker, and how their stories mirrored his own to some degree. Scott continues this pattern throughout the book, occasionally throwing in short stories about other intrepid, courageous or innovative Americans as he recalls his own experiences.\n\nOverall, I found this book to be informative, and mostly inspirational. I enjoy reading about the factors that shaped the opinions of our elected officials, as it helps to see them as actual people, instead of just random political figures. You may not agree with Scott’s political beliefs, but this book helps to remind us that he is just a regular person, that has dealt with struggles and pain just like everyone else. What does shine through is his love of his family (especially his mother), and he seems to have a genuine respect and love for all people. You don’t have to support his politics to support him sharing his inspiring life story.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Redemption requires an admission of sin and doing whats necessary to turn a wrong into a right. Anyone can say their sorry but doing the work is redemption. Redemption will never happen in America until it not only admits it sins, especially slavery, but recognizes that systemic racism destroyed the lives of so many in its past and that it still exists today. The title of this book is a false narrative that promotes a false political narrative by a black Republican politician who wants to justify his narrowly acceptance opinion about the history of black people in America.'}]