Have you ever had anybody tell you “when all else fails, go to the source”? In this case, we’re talking about the “source of information”.
Many people like the Internet because it provides the ability to search and locate many stories and commentaries on various subjects. I’ve grown to appreciate the Web because it has enabled me to quickly locate the unaltered source of information and make my own interpretations.
When I say “source of information”, I mean the original telegrams, letters, memos, and diaries that reflected the true nature of the discussions during significant events. Some examples are:
Christopher Columbus’ Logs during his initial voyages in 1492
George Washington’s letter in support of the US Constitution in 1787
Abraham Lincoln’s letters to General McClellan during the Civil War in 1863
Orville Wright’s diaries and notebooks about Flight in 1902
Albert Einstein’s letter to FDR warning about the atom bomb in 1939
Of course, the National Archives, the Library of Congress, and other government agencies are great resources for locating the original documents in digital format. In some ways, reading the letters of correspondence, personal logs, and similar items provide tremendous insights that cannot be gleaned reading the commentary of others.
It takes a little more effort than just typing in a keyword at the Google search box, but it often provides interesting revelations… Give it a try