An American Dreamer: life in a divided country

(Paperback)

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An immersive account of a man navigating the startling changes underway in contemporary America, from the Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Award-winning author of The Good Soldiers and Thank You for Your Service. 'Finkel's account is poetic, profound, and irresistibly page turning.' -Geraldine Brooks, author of Horse Brent Cummings, an Iraq war veteran, has come home feeling he survived one war only to find himself in the midst of another one. The country he loves and defended for twenty-eight years seems to be unraveling in front of his eyes. Raised to believe in a vision of America that values fairness, honesty, and respect for others, Cummings is increasingly engulfed by the fear and anger sweeping through his beloved country as he tries to hold onto hope about America's future. David Finkel, known for his unique, in-depth reporting, spent fifteen years immersed in Brent Cummings's world to create this intimate, acutely observed, and beautifully written portrait of a man's life, thoughts and feelings as America becomes ever more divided. Cummings was one of the unforgettable figures in Finkel's The Good Soldiers, a book about which The New York Times stated, 'Finkel has made art out of a defining moment in history. You will be able to take this book down from the shelf years from now and say, "This is what happened. This is what it felt like."' Like George Packer and Tracy Kidder, Finkel chronicles the everyday experiences of people, through moments of hope and despair, illuminating the struggles of many Americans today in a deeply fractured country at a time of crisis. 'In a lovely Atlanta suburb, two neighbours, both decent yet damaged men, find themselves on opposite sides of the fault line in a fracturing America. Finkel's account is poetic, profound and irresistibly page turning. It's The White Album for a new decade of division and dissolution.' -Geraldine Brooks Praise for Thank You For Your Service- ' A heartbreaking book ... The stories of the soldiers and their families portrayed in Thank You for Your Service possess a visceral and deeply affecting power ... that will haunt readers long after they have finished this book.' -Michiko Kakutani, New York Times 'Together with its masterful prequel The Good Soldiers, Thank You for Your Service measures the wages of the war in Iraq - the wages of war, period - as well as anything I've read ... Finkel atones for our scant attention by paying meticulous heed.' -Frank Bruni, The New York Times