An American BBQ: A Fourth of July Reading for a More Perfect Union

An American BBQ: A Fourth of July Reading for a More Perfect Union

An American BBQ is a civic reading designed to be shared each Fourth of July. It tells the story of the American experiment through history, food, and ritual, drawing on the traditions of communal readings and formal toasts. This book is not intended to persuade or instruct. It exists to remember—why power was restrained, how inclusion expanded, and why self-government requires participation in every generation. The foods and toasts serve as shared touchstones, honoring the people and labor that shaped the nation. The reading is brief by design. It is meant to fit naturally into a gathering of friends, family, and neighbors, leaving time for conversation, disagreement, and continued engagement. Precision is less important than presence. This book is offered in the spirit of repetition. Democracies endure not because they are perfect, but because their stories are told and their principles are practiced.