August 13, 2014. Caledonia, N.S. Henry Clay.

Sweetness and Light was never part of the political world in the first half of the 19th century. The concept that everyone was nicer and kinder in The Good Old Days in the world of Washington is simply a myth. Recently, I read a comment saying that Henry Clay was the best president we never had, which I thought an interesting comment, but I knew only a few things about Henry Clay. I recalled that he had never been president and that he had worked hard to forge a set of compromises to prevent a civil war. But I did’t know much except what I had learned in history class in high school in Toronto. Now I know lots and lots about Henry Clay. I read it in the book written by David S. Heidler. The title of the book is “Henry Clay: The Essential American. “ He was an interesting character and I am enjoying the story. I was correct in that he worked hard to preserve the Union. And although he tried hard, he never was able to be the president. The book includes many tales of life lived in the early 1800’s and I especially enjoyed that part of the book. We complain that our cell service is not good, but the Clay family had three daughters die, one as a child from whooping cough, and two from unexplained infections, one daughter at 12 and the other at 19. Life was not easy back in The Good Old Days. The book is easy to read and very interesting. And I love reading history books, because you know what will happen next!!