In The Soul of America, Author Jon Meacham “summons the better angels  of our nature” by looking back  our founding ideals and our ever-evolving effort  to live up to them.   Both critics and our own readers find much to admire in this “declaration of his faith in America” (NYT).  In The Restless Wave, Senator John McCain offers a farewell that reflects back on a life in public service and “offers a timely reminder of the values and principles that our nation has long stood for” (Fred Hiatt, Washington Post).