Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

In Thomas Paine Returns with Common Sense by Johnny Teague, Paine, a United States Founding Father, speaks to the reader as if he were alive now. Paine alternates between what he said in 1776 and how he intended it to be applied today. He says that a government meant to stay small does not shrink on its own once it starts taking on more control, and if people start accepting new rules just because they've been around long enough, it replaces active judgment. As a result, officials have zero incentive to serve the public, while the public expects elections to correct problems that no longer respond. Paine says that waiting for change becomes part of why nothing changes, and that the original agreement only holds if people continue to question authority and refuse to treat its actions as automatically justified.

Johnny Teague’s Thomas Paine Returns with Common Sense takes its name from Paine’s 1776 pamphlet, placing his original arguments into a present-day setting through direct address. The book is timely since it taps into immediate issues that readers will easily relate to. There is a lot that is subjective, but that is the beauty of literature. Do I agree with Teague's take on everything? No, but I am open-minded enough to read what he says thoughtfully and respect the work from a literary perspective. For example, I totally agree that national spending that exceeds tax revenue is completely unfair to future generations, who will have to pay for decisions they didn't make. However, my perspective aligns more with an inclusive, less restrictive immigration policy, which would naturally bolster the workforce and, in turn, beef up the federal coffers. Just because I do not agree with all of Teague's proposed solutions through Paine's voice in this book, I still greatly enjoyed reading them. This is a very well-written, researched, and intelligently presented work, perfect for readers interested in open dialogue and perspective.