First published 2021
David Rubenstein brings together some of America's most distinguished voices to examine the nation's ongoing democratic experiment. This collection presents conversations with figures like filmmaker Ken Burns, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, and tennis champion Billie Jean King. The book captures discussions on pivotal themes: Jill Lepore addresses America's founding promise, while Henry Louis Gates Jr. examines Reconstruction's legacy. Elaine Weiss explores the suffrage movement as John Meacham tackles civil rights history. Walter Isaacson discusses American innovation, and David McCullough shares insights about the Wright Brothers. The conversations span culture, politics, sports, and science, revealing how diverse perspectives have shaped the American story. Through these exchanges, Rubenstein illuminates the social movements, innovations, and struggles that continue defining what America represents and might become.
Genres: history, politics, non-fiction, biography-memoir, cultural-studies, american-history
Vibes: educational, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: diverse-voices, found-family
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century, 21st-century
464 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster