"Is God and Country Patriotism on Life-Support?"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / NRB PRESS

Contact: Gregg Wooding, I AM PR

Former White House staffer pens new series to reverse dangerous anti-patriotism trend before America's 250th birthday

CENTERVILLE, Va. -- Although this week marks both Presidents Day (Mon. Feb. 19, 2024) and George Washington’s true birthday (Thurs. Feb. 22), sadly few American students know much about America’s story. In fact, only 13 percent of 8 th graders are proficient in American history (U.S. Department of Education, 2023), according to author Jane Hampton Cook, a presidential historian and former White House staffer.

“Will the spirit of 1776 be alive in 2026, when we celebrate our nation’s birthday? Or will patriotism be on life- support?” asks Cook, who has written three new books to reverse this trend in advance of America’s 250th birthday. They include "War of Lies," "The Submarine and the Spies," and "First Fireworks for Independence."

In the book, Cook highlights John Adams' accurate prediction in 1772, when he stated, “The preservation of liberty depends upon the intellectual and moral character of the people. As long as knowledge and virtue are diffused generally among the body of a nation, it is impossible they should be enslaved. This can be brought to pass only by debasing their understandings, or by corrupting their hearts."

"John Adams warned us that the survival of liberty depended on both the moral and intellectual character of the people. We are lacking both," Cook says.

Another reason Cook wrote the book series is to set the record straight for people of all ages about dangerous efforts to revise America's history.

“The 1619 Project and woke ideologies have debased Americans’ understanding of our identity and our founding. That’s why I am writing books about the American Revolution, to spark interest, spur knowledge and spread truth before we reach our 250th birthday as a nation,” Cook explains.

“We need homeschools, private schools and public schools to adopt books and curricula like these to reverse the current negative trend in education,” she concludes.

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Author Biography

Jane Hampton Cook is an author, presidential historian and former White House webmaster. Her passion is igniting patriotism and making American history relevant to modern life, news, current events, politics and faith.

Jane is an award-winning screenwriter and author of 13 books, including Stories of Faith & Courage from the Revolutionary War. She has written screenplay adaptations for two of her books. SAVING WASHINGTON placed third in Screen Craft’s 2018 drama screenwriting contest, and AMERICAN PHOENIX was a top-ten winner in the International Screenwriting Association’s Emerging Screenwriters contest in 2020.

A national media commentator and former White House webmaster for former President George W. Bush, Jane has been a guest on the Fox News Channel, SKY News, CSPAN, BBC, WMAL, and other outlets.

Jane is a cast member in the upcoming 2025 drama THE AMERICAN MIRACLE. She has been an on-camera storyteller for several documentaries, including Fox Nation’s WHAT MADE AMERICA GREAT, hosted by Brian Kilmeade, and THE FIRST AMERICAN, a film about George Washington, hosted by Newt and Callista Gingrich.

Jane lives with her husband and sons in Centreville, Virginia. For information, visit www.janecook.com .

Book Descriptions/Links:

War of Lies: When George Washington Was the Target and Propaganda Was the Crime is a nonfiction history-mystery for ages 12 and up. “I do not really wish for independence. I hope there are few who do,” George Washington allegedly wrote in 1776. Did Washington write these words or was this 18th Century-style fake news? While at Valley Forge in 1778, Washington discovers that someone has published false letters in his name in newspapers. War of Lies identifies four suspects behind these counterfeit letters and reveals a pattern of evidence pointing toward the never-before identified culprit. Not only will readers enjoy a whodunnit history mystery, but they will also discover the story of the American Revolution in time for America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. Relying on primary sources, the author has written middle school and high school curricula for War of Lies for both U.S. literature and American history courses.

The Submarine and the Spies : Friendship and Vigilance in the American Revolution is a novel based on a true story for ages 12 and up. Three friends from Yale College—Nathan Hale, David Bushnell, and Benjamin Tallmadge—must leave their world of classical Christian education to fight tyranny in the American Revolution. Their hero’s journey transforms them from students to soldiers to spies. The book and its curricula can be used in middle or high school American literature classes to teach the hero’s journey and in American history courses to teach the American Revolution. The author relied on primary sources to write this book.

First Fireworks for Independence: Virginia’s Gift to America (watch the book trailer here) is a children’s book in which Cook shares the untold origin of America's favorite July 4 tradition. The storyline follows a curious 10-year-old Virginia Rudolph, who asks her famous grandfather, "Who first launched fireworks for independence?" His answer reveals the true story behind fireworks celebrations. While traveling along with Virginia from Williamsburg to Philadelphia, Boston, Charleston, New York and Washington D.C., young readers will also discover why Americans declared independence and the name of Virginia’s famous grandfather.