Synopses & Reviews
"The freer we are … the stronger we are," writes David Halberstam in this probing compilation of original essays which distill the essence of America, an evergreen subject rendered even more timely by recent world events that highlight cultural clashes and prompt us not just to reconsider foreign attitudes and aspirations but to think anew about our own.
Each chapter explores fundamental qualities, concepts and accomplishments that shape the American character: the sheer size of our country; the legendary events of our history; the heroes, villains, and icons of our national mythology; our enduring dream of a meritocratic society; and the unmistakable spirit that defines us both to ourselves and the rest of the world. Halberstam's keen observations introduce richly varied contributions by distinguished and eloquent commentators like Russell Baker, Ben Bradlee, James Fallows, Cynthia Gorney, Vartan Gregorian, and Janet Maslin, among others, who consider everything from Manifest Destiny to the McCarthy hearings and from Paul Revere's midnight gallop to John Wayne's classic cowboy riding tall through the American Century. Inspiring, enlightening, and enhanced by more than 300 photographs and illustrations, this wide-ranging collection provides thought-provoking, often surprising insights into how today's America took shape, who we are as a nation now, and where our country is headed.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Review
"This beautiful volume makes a wonderful gift for patriots of all stripes even those, like Halberstam, who often label themselves dissenters." Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Halberstam brings together fellow historians, commentators, and writers in a celebration of America that combines stunning imagery with unsurpassed prose. How to define America? In this unique compilation, David Halberstam enlists leading historians and writers including Walter Cronkite, Louis Auchincloss, John Gregory Dunne, Joan Didion, Mary Gordon, Stan Katz, David Kennedy, Molly O'Neill, Arthur Schlessinger, and Anna Quindlen in a quest to understand the American experience in all of its complexity.
In each chapter, Halberstam defines key issues that have shaped the American character: the sheer physical size of the country; the rise of the meritocracy; the legendary events; leaders, rogues, and icons that have left their mark on American mythology; and the cultural contributions that are uniquely American. Halberstam's introductions are followed by richly varied essays that cover subjects ranging from Manifest Destiny to John Wayne movies, from FDR's New Deal to Margaret Sanger and the birth control pill, from Paul Revere's ride to the Joseph McCarthy hearings.
These inspiring and enlightening essays are accompanied by more than 300 exquisite photographs and illustrations. The result is a fascinating book that provides long sought-after and often surprising answers to the questions of how today's America emerged, and where the country is headed.
About the Author
David Halberstam won the Pulitzer Prize for his New York Times dispatches from Saigon during the Vietnam War. In 1972, he published the definitive book on the roots of that war, The Best and the Brightest. His 13 books on topics as varied as the automobile industry, sports legend Michael Jordan, and the 1950s have all been bestsellers. Halberstam is a member of the Society of American Historians and lives in Manhattan.