If nothing else, Humility: An Unlikely Biography of America’s
Greatest Virtue by David J. Bobb compels the reader to thoughtfully deliberate
the definition and effects of humility.
Immediately, Bobb intentionally dismisses any “sissy” definitions of humility
and highlights its strengths. He writes, “Humility is strength, not weakness.
It is the crown of the virtues . . . It is the backbone of temperance, and it
makes love possible” (6). With this definition firmly established, Bobb introduces
“five humble heroes” (9): George Washington, James Madison, Abigail Adams,
Abraham Lincoln, and Frederick Douglass. Bobb devotes a chapter to each
American figure and shows how their humility engendered their greatness.
Bobb is certainly a committed and impassioned
scholar. Nonetheless, I had a hard time following his theme throughout the
entire book. All parts were interesting and informative, but at times Bobb
seemed to strain to make connections to humility, and I think the book could
have been more engaging if he included other character traits as well, and even
stories, in an effort to highlight humility.
The section on Frederick Douglass
was by far the most interesting, as it clearly showed how Douglass’
understanding of humility changed during his early years and how his change in
understanding allowed him to become a magnanimous man. The final three
sentences of Bobb’s book are true and provocative and encapsulate his message
(and highlight his style): “The arrogance of our age supposes that prosperity
is perpetual and success inevitable. America’s history of hard-won humility
tells us otherwise. As individuals and as people, we must rediscover our
greatest virtue” (188).
I recommend this book to other
readers.
The
publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through
BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.
