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Isaac also identifies genres of Carter's nature and agriculture writing. There are "observation pieces," in which Carter noted and mused upon some natural phenomenon; "plantation tableaus," which depicted some striking aspect of Carter's domain; "planning reviews," a sort of project analysis; and "construction projects," which Isaac describes as "cherished flights of fancy that deeply expressed the desired persona of the diarist … very expressive of this age of the Enlightenment, when improvement was identified as the immediate goal of philosophy."

Landon is not in the highest pantheon of founding fathers. But because of his diaries, he is much more immediate to us, and he has more to teach us about our common humanity than his better-known compatriots. Nothing better expresses this than his entry for his 69th birthday, in August 1778, neither a very happy year for him nor for the Revolution.

… I thank God I have lived so long as to experience the hopes I have placed in the father of Goodness through the merits of my dear saviour his only Son—are not in vain. Therefore I will be as cheerful with my friends as Society, decency, Justice, and a reverence to God … will let me.

Though last night—between the hours of 10 and 12—I could not promise myself life—much less ease with it

And do thou God preserve me in this resolution.

If for nothing else, we should read Landon Carter because he was an honest man, and Rhys Isaac's Landon Carter's Uneasy Kingdom because it is a skilled and honest depiction of the man, his place, and his age.

Albert Louis Zambone, D.Phil Candidate in early American history at Oxford, is often found working upon an oversized biography (tentatively titled Founding General: Nathanael Greene and the American Way of War) when he should be writing a dissertation on Anglicanism and intellectual culture in 18th century Virginia.

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Landon Carter's Uneasy Kingdom is available from Amazon.com and other book retailers.

Landon Carter's Uneasy Kingdom has been reviewed by The Atlantic, The Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Post, The Greenville News, and other outlets.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation site has a few excerpts from Carter's diaries.

Books & Culture Corner appears every Tuesday. Earlier editions of Books & Culture Corner and Book of the Week include:

The Great American Hustle | The first volume of an ambitious new history of America highlights the engine of "worldly ideals"—and the role of evangelical religion in creating a distinctive American identity. (Sept. 14, 2004)

The Poet Who Remembered | Poland (mostly) honors Czeslaw Milosz upon his death. (Sept. 07, 2004)

Be Careful What You Pray For | The strange tale of the controversial Bishop Pike and his fatal quest for relevance. (Aug. 31, 2004)

Book 'Em! | The concluding installment of our three-part midyear book roundup (Aug. 24, 2004)

(Not Just) Summer Reading | Part 2 of our midyear report on outstanding books. (Aug. 17, 2004)

Real Fantasy | The first installment in a new Tolkien-inspired series shows genuine promise. (Aug. 17, 2004)

We've Got Books | The first installment of our new midyear book report. (Aug. 10, 2004)

'Be Happy!' | How the ancient Olympics differed from the modern spectacle. (Aug. 10, 2004)

Rediscovering 'Husbandry' | What Colonial farmers have to teach us about living with the land. (Aug. 03, 2004)

China's Spiritual Hunger | The lessons of Falun Gong (July 27, 2004)

Ambiguous Redemption | A riveting memoir by the author of Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight. (July 20, 2004)

Tending the Garden | Evangelicals and the environment. (July 07, 2004)

How the Monster Grew | A Pulitzer Prize-winning historian looks at the origins of modern media. (July 05, 2004)

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September (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48