Defending Our American Legacy
Gingrich Productions
September 29, 2012
Newt and Callista Gingrich
Under President Obama there has been at least one very encouraging development: the remarkable surge of interest in American history and our founding principles that has occurred primarily in response to his policies.
It began with the Tea Party, but quickly became an even broader phenomenon and a fixture of our public debate.
We are thrilled with this new interest in the ideas that have made America exceptional, since we have dedicated much of our lives to helping explain them.
Since we founded Gingrich Productions four years ago, we have worked on many projects together, from alternative history novels about the American Revolution to a documentary film about Ronald Reagan. In addition, we spent a year tirelessly travelling the country together during our presidential campaign.
Though sometimes the range of these experiences amazes us, they’re really just pieces of a much larger project: preserving the American legacy of freedom and opportunity for our children and grandchildren, to ensure they live in an America that is just as exceptional as the one we grew up in.
We recognize that in many ways, the big challenges we face today are cultural. If we can successfully transmit to the next generation the values and principles that have made America great, the next generation will make certain we remain the freest and most prosperous country on earth in the 21st century.
A big part of the task is to educate citizens of the future about our past. Callista and I are both passionate about American history. In Callista’s New York Times bestselling children’s book, Sweet Land of Liberty, Ellis the Elephant introduces young people to the pivotal moments of our nation’s history so they begin to understand the greatness of America.
Many of you may be familiar with Ellis the Elephant. We know from talking with so many Americans on the campaign trail that he’s a favorite in many homes. That’s why we are excited to announce that Ellis returns next week in Land of the Pilgrims’ Pride, as he discovers Colonial America.
As Ellis learns, the colonists exemplified many of the same values that are still important in America today: hard work and perseverance, resourcefulness and innovation, and faith and religious tolerance.
Ellis discovers the first English settlement at Jamestown, the Pilgrims’ journey to Plymouth, the pirates of the Carolinas, and the purchase of Manhattan from the Native Americans, among many other important moments in colonial history.
We hope you and your family enjoy discovering the 13 colonies as much as Ellis did.
Land of the Pilgrims’ Pride launches Monday, October 1, on NBC’s Today Show. Be sure to tune in!
We have one more exciting announcement: On November 13, Newt will follow Ellis with a history book of his own. The third in Newt and William R. Forstchen’s series on George Washington, Victory at Yorktown.
This is the perfect time for a novel about the Revolutionary War. That’s because when the trials we face today as a country seem daunting, it’s helpful to be reminded just how much the Americans who came before us had to overcome. So many times during the war, it must have seemed impossible to go on. But when they were out of hope, they kept fighting. When they were out of shoes, they kept marching. And when they were broke, they kept working.
The sacrifice of the first American patriots is truly inspirational today. The story of Victory at Yorktown should be a source of hope for the millions of Americans who are gravely concerned about the future of our nation.
Together, Callista and I are embarking on an American Legacy Book Tour, because both of our books share the same goal — to help all Americans understand why America is an exceptional nation.
We hope to see you at one of our book signings. Please make sure to check the calendar at www.GingrichProductions.com to find out when we will be in your area.
Your friends,
Newt and Callista Gingrich
