You Should Read: Mellons

Louisville author Christopher Mellons is perhaps not as well-known to the reading public as he should be; or as he is certainly likely to be. His latest book, Among Men, is likely to catapult him to wide recognition, for its philosophical insight and plain-speaking wisdom.

Mellons, 33, can easily be compared to American political philosopher Eric Hoffer, whose seminal work, The True Believer, addresses many of the same political ideas as examined in Among Men. He dissects a broad range of issues concerning our political system; pointing out many abuses, and suggesting that we must restore our Constitution to the grand document our founders created.

Like Hoffer, Mellons applies the experiences of his working-class background to the writings of political philosophers such as Jean Jacques Rousseau and Thomas Hobbes, Mellons tells where these men got it right and where they got it wrong, meandering in and out of the current political situation in the process. His study of Political Science and History at the University of Louisville provide him with added insight into the workings of contemporary American politics.

Mellons suggests to the reader that, even though we live in an age of rapid change, we need to stop on occasion and remind ourselves of the most valuable lessons of our republic’s political history. Having damaged the core principle of our country, “…the belief that our rights come from God, indeed that there is a God…” Mellons fears that our moral infrastructure is collapsing.

He warns that the seeds have been sown for revolution, and that it is incumbent upon all of us to do what we can to see that it is a peaceful one. “If the people continue to ignore the antics of their politicians and alleged leaders, they will be forced to reconcile that an apathetic population can quickly find itself in civil war,” he predicts.

  Mellons’ writing can also be found at Derby City News.

To purchase a copy of Among Men from Amazon Books, CLICK HERE. 

“You Should Read” is a weekly iLocal News series, reviewing not only the latest books by local writers, but also reminding readers that some of the best books in print have been around for a long time. As Mark Twain said, “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”

Books are wonderful things. Whether you are lying on the beach, or curled up in your favorite chair in front of a fire on a frosty day, a good book to read will fill your day with enjoyment. It doesn’t matter if your book is a leather-bound treasure, an inexpensive paperback, an electronic Ebook or Kindle, or an audiobook playing on your car radio. Books excite, inform, move the soul, and stimulate the senses. Reading expands your world, and makes you a more interesting person.

As Groucho Marx once said, “Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.”