Synopses & Reviews
When twenty-six-year-olds Shainee Gabel and Kristin Hahn quit their Hollywood jobs, packed up a borrowed car and hit the road, it was with the deeply felt conviction that somewhere, shrouded in the din of talk shows and tabloid headlines, they'd discover the real America, alive and well in all of its regions and demographics.
Armed with a Powerbook, a couple of video cameras and the names and phone numbers of over two hundred Americans they viewed as visionaries or cultural icons, they embarked on a journey that would take them from historic New Orleans to the rainforests of Washington, from the skyscraper-lined avenues of New York City to the dusty roads of the Great Plains. Never did they imagine that they'd drive recklessly through the back roads of Aspen with Hunter S. Thompson, see the President of the United States lose his temper, be in the CNN newsroom on the day of the O. J. Simpson verdict, or survive the hottest day in Chicago history with America's chronicler, Studs Terkel.
During their six-month journey, Gabel and Hahn interviewed luminaries from every field and walk of life. They talked to business people, politicians, activists, scientists, writers and artists, including Robert Redford, Michael Stipe, Willie Nelson, Geraldine Ferraro, John Irving and American poet laureate, Rita Dove, to name a few. They also talked to everyday people they encountered along the way, from a sixty-five-year-old waitress in Iowa to a haygrinder in North Dakota.
Synopsis
In the spirit of John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley, this is the enthralling chronicle of an epic road trip in search of a new definition of the American dream.
In 1995, two young women who had been living and working in Hollywood quit their jobs to begin an epic journey across the country. Fed up with the cynicism surrounding them, they started writing to individuals whom they believed were shaping the way Americans think, believe and live -- individuals they hoped to interview along the way. Responding to nothing more than the passion of their letter, about 60 very special people eventually replied, and "Anthem" was born.
About the Author
Kristin Hahn grew up in New Mexico, then moved to Los Angeles, where she spent a decade working in the television and film industry. With Shainee Gabel, Hahn wrote, produced, and filmed the acclaimed independent documentary Anthem and wrote the book based on the film. She currently lives in California with her husband and son.