WHEN we describe this land of ours, in deep-down essence and everyday spirit, it is the phrase we reach for most often. As an idea, it is older even than the nation and the words that give it name. It has reflected and informed what is best in us as a country and as a people from the beginning and it has been there to remind us that we should be doing better when we have failed to live up to the ideal it describes. It is the American dream, and it has filled me with awe for as long as I can remember.

At a time when we are once again talking and thinking about the meaning of America, bestselling author and award-winning journalist Dan Rather provides a powerful look at Americans who struggle to achieve their desires and ambitions. With the stories of ordinary men and women accomplishing the extraordinary, Rather demonstrates how the American dream brings us together and guides us, as it has for more than 200 years.

For some, the American dream is simply to own a home or rise out of poverty. Some wish to serve God, country, or community. There are those who want to learn to read or run their own business. Still others simply wish to exer cise fundamental American rights: to openly practice their religion and to speak what is in their minds and hearts.

Stirring and provocative, The American Dream illustrates that the basic American desire for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” is alive and well. It also confirms what our founding fathers always believed: that we are a coun try of visionaries, in ways big and small.

The Enduring Dream

Introduction

Sweet Liberty: The Dream of Freedom

Enterprise: Dreams of Work and Wealth

The Pursuit of Happiness: The Dream Itself

Family: Nurturing the Dream

Making a Name: Dreams of the Spotlight

Education: Learning to Dream

hmovation: Pioneering Dreams

Giving Back: In the Service of Dreams

Acknowledgments