The American Experiment
Dialogues on a Dream
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- $24.99
Publisher Description
An instant New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller
Bestselling author and cofounder of the Carlyle Group David M. Rubenstein explores the story of America as a grand experiment in democracy, culture, innovation, and ideas through captivating conversations with celebrated American icons.
Hailed as “the right book at the right time” by Tom Brokaw and “a stirring reminder” by Katie Couric, The American Experiment features inspiring and informative interviews with:
KEN BURNS
HENRY LOUIS GATES JR
JON MEACHAM
WALTER ISAACSON
DAVID McCULLOUGH
WYNTON MARSALIS
BILLIE JEAN KING
RITA MORENO
The American Experiment reveals the setbacks, invention, ingenuity, and social movements that continue to shape our vision of what America is—and what it can be.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Rubenstein follows The American Story with another stimulating collection of interviews with prominent historians and public figures. Focusing on 13 "key genes," including freedom of speech, immigration, and the American dream, that have "enabled the American Experiment to blossom," Rubenstein and his interview subjects touch on a wide range of topics, including whether U.S. capitalism would have developed differently without slavery, and the crucial role Al Gore played in "open up the Internet to people who want to dial in and use it for personal or commercial reasons." Other notable discussions include Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor on the need for better civic education in the U.S., West Side Story star Rita Moreno on her life, and Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Reconstruction. In one of the book's most memorable conversations, Medal of Honor recipient Jack Jacobs discusses his parents' horror at his decision to enlist and fight in the Vietnam War after graduating from college, and describes the Viet Cong ambush from which he rescued several wounded colleagues, despite taking shrapnel to the head ("the least significant portion of my body," Jacobs quips). Enriched by the diversity of its interviewees and Rubenstein's simple yet illuminating prompts ("Explain the Tet Offensive"; "When there were just thirteen colonies, did any let women vote?"), this is a rewarding survey of what makes America tick.
