An historical narrative of the early United States as dominated and influenced by Jefferson, Monroe, Madison, and John Quincy Adams. Pictures the first quarter of the 19th century as abounding in both patriots and scoundrels-enough to make for fascinating reading. — Book promo @ goodreads.com

This was the third book that Dos Passos wrote that is included as #8 in the Mainstream of America Series with all of them being easy reading history. I read his first book in the series which was #5 then read #18 in the series not knowing it was part of it. I like his non fiction much more than his novels.

I got the bank charges for the dental work done in October so I now have a grand total for all the work done to replace my lower front four teeth. Expensive? Not nearly what it would have cost me to have it done in the Good ‘Ol USA. These charges include the extra that is added by the bank to do the currency conversion from MX pesos to $.

$85.97 for Cleaning, exam and xrays
$294.31 To extract five teeth
$315.77 The temporary bridge*
$726.33 For the permanent dental partial
Grand Total Charges $1,422.38
*I have written about getting a dental bridge in the past but what the dentist was going to give me was a dental partial and that is what I got.

“The things that will destroy America are prosperity- at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich- quick theory of life.” — Theodore Roosevelt