Based on the song that President Joe Biden quoted in his inaugural address, this picture book, now adapted for audio, celebrates the beauty and diversity of this country and the legacies on which we build our future.
As President Joe Biden delivered his inaugural address, he quoted from a song that fully captured his own spirit of service: “The work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day. What shall be our legacy? What will our children say? Let me know in my heart, when my days are through—America, America, I gave my best to you.” It was a sentiment that spoke not only to our new president’s character, but to the sense of pride in duty and purpose for the sake of a country we hold dear. And it contained a message of quiet patriotism that so many of us hope to share with the next generation.
In this new book, using the full text of the song President Biden quoted, we do just that. With words that speak to the soul of our nation, we take listeners on a journey through this beautiful country—its history, its struggles, and its dignity—and throughout, we count our own blessings and think about how we can do more to share them with others, and give our best to our country and everyone in it.
Gene Scheer (genescheer.com) is a two-time Grammy-nominated songwriter and librettist noted for his scope and versatility. His work has been featured at many leading opera companies across the country, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the San Francisco, Santa Fe, and Dallas Operas. He has also written songs for such illustrious singers as Denyce Graves, Renée Fleming, Joyce DiDonato, Patti LuPone, and Nathan Gunn. Gene was inspired to write "American Anthem" in 1998 while reading the book The Miracle at Philadelphia about the creation of the U.S. Constitution. Over the years, "American Anthem" has been performed for Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and at the memorial service for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A version of the song, sung by Norah Jones, was featured in Ken Burns’s Emmy Award-winning World War II documentary for PBS entitled The War. Gene lives in Connecticut withhis wife, Kristina.
Based on the song that President Joe Biden quoted in his inaugural address, this picture book, now adapted for audio, celebrates the beauty and diversity of this country and the legacies on which we build our future.
As President Joe Biden delivered his inaugural address, he quoted from a song that fully captured his own spirit of service: “The work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day. What shall be our legacy? What will our children say? Let me know in my heart, when my days are through—America, America, I gave my best to you.” It was a sentiment that spoke not only to our new president’s character, but to the sense of pride in duty and purpose for the sake of a country we hold dear. And it contained a message of quiet patriotism that so many of us hope to share with the next generation.
In this new book, using the full text of the song President Biden quoted, we do just that. With words that speak to the soul of our nation, we take listeners on a journey through this beautiful country—its history, its struggles, and its dignity—and throughout, we count our own blessings and think about how we can do more to share them with others, and give our best to our country and everyone in it.
Author
Gene Scheer (genescheer.com) is a two-time Grammy-nominated songwriter and librettist noted for his scope and versatility. His work has been featured at many leading opera companies across the country, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the San Francisco, Santa Fe, and Dallas Operas. He has also written songs for such illustrious singers as Denyce Graves, Renée Fleming, Joyce DiDonato, Patti LuPone, and Nathan Gunn. Gene was inspired to write "American Anthem" in 1998 while reading the book The Miracle at Philadelphia about the creation of the U.S. Constitution. Over the years, "American Anthem" has been performed for Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and at the memorial service for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A version of the song, sung by Norah Jones, was featured in Ken Burns’s Emmy Award-winning World War II documentary for PBS entitled The War. Gene lives in Connecticut withhis wife, Kristina.
