<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>Cultural observer Guinness argues that the American experiment in freedom is at risk. He calls society to cultivate the essential civic character needed for ordered liberty and sustainable freedom.<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><ul> <li>2013 <em>Logos</em> Book of the Year in Christianity/Culture</li> </ul><p> <em>If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.</em> Abraham Lincoln Nothing is more daring in the American experiment than the founders' belief that the American republic could remain free forever. But how was this to be done, and are Americans doing it today? It is not enough for freedom to be won. It must also be <em>sustained.</em> Cultural observer Os Guinness argues that the American experiment in freedom is at risk. Summoning historical evidence on how democracies evolve, Guinness shows that contemporary views of freedom--most typically, a negative freedom from constraint-- are unsustainable because they undermine the conditions necessary for freedom to thrive. He calls us to reconsider the audacity of sustainable freedom and what it would take to restore it. In the end, Guinness writes, the ultimate threat to the American republic will be Americans. The problem is not wolves at the door but termites in the floor. The future of the republic depends on whether Americans will rise to the challenge of living up to America's unfulfilled potential for freedom, both for itself and for the world.</p><p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br><p><em>A Free People's Suicide</em> challenges each and every citizen concerned about America's diminishing role as a beacon of liberty not only to comprehend the urgency, but also to participate comprehensively in freedom's preservation.</p>--Albin Sadar, The Washington Times, washingtontimes.com<br><br><p>Dr. Guinness' book is rich in its explorations of Lincoln's words and their import for us today. As an expatriate friend of America, Guinness, like de Tocqueville, has a rare gift for helping us see our better selves. He casts a discerning eye at our modern institutions, and habits of the heart--as reflected in the broader culture. He freely concedes that there are worrying signs on the horizon, but then, having thoughtfully set out the challenges we face in our historical moment, he brings us back to the best things the founders gave us. On the whole, it's a fascinating perspective from a British citizen.</p>--Kevin Belmonte, Huffington Post Religion Blog, September 1, 2012<br>