Customer Reviews

The Good Citizen's Handbook: A Guide to Proper Behavior

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This is great kitsch. Some will long for a world like this but of course it never was like this. But if you want to know why ALCOHOLISM means death to the nation, and why plain laziness is the trouble with many, this book is for you.

This information came from my parent's era. I can't help but think how much better our country would be if everyone read this book.

Sure, it seems a bit outdated - but does being a good citizen, a good neighbor, or a patriot go out of date?

Liberals will find this book outdated, old fashioned, even humorous, but do good manners ever really go out of fashion? Yes, this is a bit dated and may portray the nuclear family of the 50's, but the content of this little book are timeless. The handbook promotes a wide variety of civic lessons ranging from penmanship, gun safety, respect for authority, cleanliness and grooming, proper diet and much more.

These make great little gifts. Adults will appreciate the nostalgia, while children will learn valuable lessons for life.

This book will remind you of the values we once had in America, and will set goals of the vlaues we must return to. This book is honest and pure, in every way. Get this book for your grandfather who wonders what happened to common decency. Get this book for the grandson who never knew it. Get it for the patriot who needs a quick reminder of what America is at its core. Get it as a reminder fo your civic duties, responsibilities and rights.

As a school counselor I made sure all of the teachers in the elementary school where I work had a copy. Each day they select a part to read to their classes.

Even a liberal like me can appreciate the power of straight forward ethics. This guide is an excellent addition to any young boy's (especially) or girl's bookshelf. Out of date? There are some explanations that seem a little naive. In a section on personal responsibility to society, it is said that while there will always be poor people (because some people are incompetent, mentally ill, drunk or lazy) society should take care of them for the benefit of everybody. (Contrast this sentiment with what we have today: "It's not the fault of the poor, but we still won't take cae of them."
Mostly though, you can't beat common sense.

Author Jennifer McKnight-Trontz has collected invaluable guidance from old, outdated citizenship manuals and presented them in a neat little handbook that everyone should read. The illustrations are old-fashioned, extremely conservative, and somewhat amusing, but there's almost nothing laughable in this book's advice and wisdom. The vast majority of it is as true today as it was forty or fifty years ago, and our society needs it now more than ever. Anyone who thinks this book is hilarious should seek psychotherapy immediately. However, it's difficult to determine exactly what the author's intention was, because there are some brief passages that seem to be included solely for the sake of humor. But the bulk of the book is a treasure trove of long forgotten common sense ideas presented in their original context. Some of the information is out of date and no longer helpful, like the pre-zip-code addresses of the President, senators, and cabinet officers in "Washington, 25, D.C." A current and useful list would have been better. Editors also should have deleted the unsound assertion that in order to be a good citizen you "must drink milk and eat meat," and also "avoid tea and coffee." I don't see how such dietary choices have any bearing on a person's citizenship, which is based fundamentally on behaviors that affect the family and community. Oddly, smoking and drug use are not discussed at all and alcohol abuse is only covered by a rather outrageous illustration. The book is flawed, but still a respectable compilation of sensible techniques for practicing better citizenship - something our country sorely needs.

I enjoy this book. I frequently thumb through its text. I have noticed that some individuals look at it as a form of entertainment; sort of making fun--of the "old ways." I have to admit, that certain concepts are over the top. I am also not naive, and am aware that governmental brainwashing is disturbing in particular venues within the text. However, I believe that much of the information can be used in a positive manner to relay key ideas and concepts to a younger generation whose foundation is crumbling, when it comes down to what it really means to be a citizen of the United States of Americia. I myself served in the United States Marine Corps. I can remember when putting on that uniform had meaning and value to me personally. I thought of all of the blood that was shed, so that I could wear those 'dress blues,' when I served as a Presidential Honor Guard at 8th and I. Somehow over the years, even that lost its luster. I guess it did because of my own changing interpetation of what it was to be an American. I guess it all starts with each of us as an individual. We all need to focus back on core values--and to a degree, traditionalism. I would like to feel good about my country once again. The 'Good Citizen's Handbook,' made me think seriously. To me its not a "joke."...Lets take it more seriously.

This book has to be one of the best I've ever read! I found it in a Cracker Barrel gift shop while on vacation, and it provided me with laugh after laugh after laugh. However, anyone who doesn't take this as satire is naive to the point where it makes me sad. While a few of the values are still relevant, most are of the nuclear-family-type: racist, sexist, and a whole bunch of -ists I can't even name. It's hard to believe that in this day and age some people could actually take the book seriously. As a teen, I and my friends like it because it points out just what . . . propaganda our government has tried to throw at our parents and grandparents, and some of them believed it!

I picked this book up at the local Cracker Barrel restaurant in their "Proud to Be an American" section of afghans and bumper stickers and other patriotic-themed nostaligia curiosities.

Some of this material may seem out of date...heck, most of it will go right over the head of anyone born after these textbooks were retired from schoolrooms and educational films. As a kid who grew up on Centron films and citizenship assemblies this book brought back not only memories of a more innocent and simple time, but of a pure and patriotic sensibility. I have grown up to be a cynical, dark and suspicious person in a world where pillbox hats, pressed wool suits and imposed proper attitudes have changed. Diversity has its price in our daily rituals, but it doesn't dispel the strange, weird, and wonderful importance of these civic reminders. Wow.

Get this book for your grandfather who wonders what happened to common decency. Get this book for the grandson who never knew it. Get it for the patriot who needs a quick reminder of what America is at its core. Get it as a reminder fo your civic duties, responsibilities and rights.

This book is really great for children and teenagers, because
it tells how to be a good American citizen. It says, " A
good citizen is well-rounded. It gives you all the information
you need with the right details and tips about work, friends,
talk, play, spiritual values, patriotism, cleanliness, being a good neighbor, and many other interesting things that are very important. It could even help your parents. It should be at the
top of your Christmas list, because being a good American Citizen
is how we will keep being the greatest country on earth.