Proud to be an American: St. Charles author publishes book celebrating 250 years of America

Author Jay Payleitner of St. Charles has published over 40 books, and his latest work is an early celebration of America’s 250th birthday next July 4.

Published in October, “Happy Semiquincentennial, America!” lists “250 reasons why America is still worth celebrating,” according to the description.

“Gila monsters to door openers to Solo Cups and Popsicles,” Payleitner said. “I’ve stood in front of groups and said the list, and they start laughing because when you do the list, it’s Gettysburg and Pearl Harbor, and then you say teddy bears and red Solo Cups.”

Payleitner is not out to suggest that America is perfect, but he says he feels like national pride has diminished since he was young.

The longtime Illinoisan was born in Geneva, and he remembers the American Freedom Train coming through Aurora for America’s 200th birthday. The train was “like a mini Smithsonian,” he said, containing a copy of the Constitution, pop culture memorabilia and other items.

“I felt proud to be an American,” Payleitner said. “I mean, man, we could do anything. What a great country I live in.”

Fifty years later, Payleitner wasn’t feeling the same kind of enthusiasm, and he decided to take action.

“I thought, ‘well, what can I do? What do I do? I write. That’s what I’ll do,’” Payleitner said.

The book is divided into sections, including “America’s Soundtrack,” which deals with music in different decades, and “It’s A Festival,” which highlights events such as the Super Bowl and the Kentucky Derby.

There are also more light-hearted sections like “American Stuff,” which details items such as garage door openers, jukeboxes and “good scissors.”

“You can learn stuff — history, trivia, geography stuff, biology,” Payleitner said. “But then it kind of comes around and warms your heart and makes you laugh and doesn’t take itself too seriously, which sometimes we do that, sometimes Americans, or anybody, we take ourselves too seriously.”

“Happy Semiquincentennial, America” includes 100 images, and it’s available on Amazon or at certain local book stores. The book was published by Skyhorse Publishing.