The Lion’s Den (HB) By: Frank B. Atkinson The Lion’s Den is essential reading for anyone whose confidence in American democracy has been shaken by recent events. There is plenty to discourage and alarm us these days; the supply of negative political role models, real and fictional, seems endless. Frank Atkinson leaves no doubt that we can do better and be better. Just in time, it seems, he arrives with some exemplary political characters, a powerfully uplifting story, and a summons to get to work restoring the ethic of principled citizenship and service that reflects the ‘better angels of our nature’ and offers hope for bringing Americans together again.” - LARRY J. SABATO, Director, UVA Center for Politics The Lion’s Den offers a prescription for American renewal at a time of eroding confidence in our political institutions and growing confusion about our national purpose. In Frank Atkinson’s formulation, there are no quick fixes for our broken politics … no easy cure for what ails our democracy. A republic’s community spirit and capacity for constructive self-governance depend on a consensus about essential values and the active choice to practice, promote, and perpetuate those values. The ethic of principled citizenship and service that Atkinson considers indispensable for American renewal is not an inherited trait – like every ethic, it is a character requiring cultivation. And it is strongest when grounded in personal faith and integrity … illuminated by hard-learned lessons from history and experience … inspired by worthy human exemplars … propelled by the optimistic pursuit of a “more perfect union” … and kindled in a culture of mutual respect and forbearance guided by the “Golden Rule.” No starry-eyed idealist, Frank Atkinson’s major nonfiction works – The Dynamic Dominion and Virginia in the Vanguard – turned a candid lens on the hard-fought modern politics of his native state. In The Lion’s Den, he offers a compelling fictional account of life in the political arena – at once a venue for selfless contribution and palace of selfish ambition. Inspired by timeless lessons from the Book of Daniel, Madison’s vision of competition and compromise, and the colorful politics of his contemporary Commonwealth, Atkinson places his characters in a modern-day lion’s den where they grapple with vexing moral and practical choices. But Atkinson’s players find the grace to come together ... and, he suggests, so can we.

We Are America, We Are Americans (HB) By: Matt Teahan A Journey through life (at least part of it)... and the lessons learned… and in a rare instance…. taught. In this quasi-autobiography, I answer the confounding questions of our day through a riveting (for some people) journey of all topics relevant. Is the United States of America really a Christian Nation? Where has this Country’s corporate leadership gone? Why would anyone waste an entire adolescence refining their basketball jump shot? Why has the moral compass in Professional Sports disappeared into the abyss of political wokeness? Why do we need to ban plastic straws and not water bottles…..particularly if Climate Change is going to kill us all in 9 years, anyway? How do we pay reparations for people of mixed race? How can chicken sandwiches galvanize and legitimize the LGBT community? What did I share with the Pope at the sacred site of Fatima? What’s it going to take to get millennials off Twitter, out of Mom’s basement and into Church? Why is ‘systemic ignorance’ a far greater threat to this country than anything else ‘systemic’? I’ll introduce a toxic blend of fact, fiction, criticism, sarcasm, reality, inquiry, and humor into the topics of the day. And I’ll blend my shallow, yet relevant, life experiences into the mix where it’s almost impossible to tell the difference. You may get bored. You might not. You may or may not like my viewpoints. You might not even like me. But you won’t be the first nor the last. I think, however, everyone will find something here they can relate to. Whether it’s basketball, friends, God, politics, a career, or the social issues of the day there’s something for everybody. Even for those who rarely open a book, like today’s College students. For them I’ve included pictures. See! Something for everybody!! And although some of my viewpoints you may frown upon, you will appreciate the humor, anecdotes, multiple geography lessons, ridicule, sarcasm, and blatant hypocrisy that I’ll expose on any number of topics. All shrouded in the novel concept called ‘common sense’. And if you don’t like to read about those types of things, then don’t buy the book. Get it at the library. I started this book on July 4th, 2020. And I did it for a reason.