Torch of Freedom and the Underground Historical Leaders Who Passed It Forward [SIGNED FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING]

Fine unread condition color illustrated softcover wraps. Includes Foreword by Orrin Woodward; Preface; Introduction; Acknowledgments; For Further Reading; Notes and About the Author. Illustrated with a black-and-white photographs. Signed and inscribed by the author with blue pen at the upper left corner of the inner front cover. Rare volume. "George Guzzardo has managed to comrpress what must be an enormous amount of research into a fun, fast-paced, and highly readable book. Featuring his flair for the dramatic, while never losing sight of the bigger picture, Guzzardo takes the reader through a near magic-carpet ride through the sweeping history of freedom. One can almost see the figurative torch being handed from hero to hero as the ages come and go. I learned a lot I didn't know, was reminded of much I should never forget, and was inspired to fight even harder to preserve the freedom that has been handed to me. Thank you, George, for this delightful book!" - Chris Brady, New York Times bestselling author. "In every human society, there are two equal and opposite powers battling for supremacy, a supremacy that neither side can hold indefinitely, swinging back and forth like the arm of a pendulum. The two powers -- force and freedom -- have been in mortal conflict since time immemorial. The conflict is renewed in every generation to define how society will survive. In the book you hold in your hands, author George Guzzardo shares the story of the freedom fighters, the brave men and women who passed the torch of freedom to the next generation. The stories presented bring you to the front lines of the conflict, to experience the trials and tribulations as if you were actually there. Perhaps the best compliment an author can receive about one of his books is that it changed the reader. For the best books are not only filled with how-to information, but also why-to inspiration. This is exactly what Guzzardo accomplishes in this work, not only sharing the historical ebb and flow of the freedom tide, but also highlighting the couragoeous stands, the personal sacrifices, and even the underlying motives that drove those who carried the torch of freedom. Reading their stories will inspire you to play your part in the unfolding drama between force and freedom. Naturally, the power elites, those who carry the torch of force, seek to coerce and confuse the masses, dividing them through fear and hate, to gain at the masses' expense. By contrast, influential leaders, those who carry the torch of freedom, seek to serve and educate the masses, inspiring in them encouragement and love, to bless everyone within society. Society is blessed or cursed based upon whether freedom or force is in the driver's seat. Hence, the importance of freedom fighters cannot be exaggerated. Indeed, if we look beneath the surface of freedom-based leadership, we can discern one fundamental fact of influence; namely, from those to whom much is given, much is required. This is what the freedom torch carriers understood, for leadership is only leadership in a culture of freedom, not force. In fact, all the alleged pwer of leaders is merely the display of confidence the community has in their ability to take them where they want to go. Therefore, any attempt to physically control the community, whatever else it may be called, should certainly not be labeled leadership. Influence is something a leader earns by virtue of character and competence, whereas coercion is the non-leader's substitute for the lack of those qualities. Moreover, it follows that as coercion increases, true leadership decreases. After all, if the alleged leader actually had the community's buy-in, then why would force need to be applied at all? Unfortunately, societies and communities across the globe have become so inured to the use of force by positional leadership that the difference between influence and intimidation has been blurred beyond recognition." - excerpt from the Foreword.