This Land Is Your Land by Beverly Gage

The author was reflecting on 2026 being both America’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence coinciding with the president of the United States and the GOP being openly disinterested in maintaining the republic and leaning hard into authoritarian leadership. She was guided by her perspective as a historian and fueled by her love of a good road trip, Gage sets out on a journey of epic proportions, visiting thirteen different destinations in pursuit of answering a question once posed by Benjamin Franklin, namely: Is the sun rising or setting over the republic? To that end, Gage — mostly alone, but occasionally with a travel companion in tow — traverses some of this country’s most storied places. Her objective is perhaps less to answer Franklin’s question, and more to explore why it remains one. Be aware--this is not attempting to represent a comprehensive history of the United States, nor does she deliver a one-to-one ratio of America’s best and worst. Instead, the author provides a thoughtfully curated exploration of some of America’s most poignant historic sites and a means of learning more of our past and, perhaps in the process, gaining a deeper understanding of our present and how we got here. It is the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good news is that overall she emerged from this experience more hopeful than when she started. It is also a good read, more conversational than dry and academic. It is also a trip that would be a nice blueprint for a trip of your own once you are for whatever reason not tied to a job that requires you to show up on a regular basis.