Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #108720 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

Synopsis
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ted Turner, Jesse Helms, Joan Crawford, Nine Deloria, and Helen and Scott Nearing are just some of the people whose version of the "American Dream" is included in this text. Author and interviewer Studs Terkel discusses ideals and aspirations with the businessman enamoured of success, farm kids dreaming of the city, city boys determined to get out, the Boston Brahmin and a KKK member.

Customer Reviews

It opened my eyes
A wonderful reflection of the diversity of dreams and realities of so many people. Terkel collects people from all walks of life and probes there dreams--what they are, what they were, how they've changed.

He engages them to tell there stories of success and failure, hardship and longing, understanding and transformation.

I never felt more in touch with the unique nature of America than when I was reading this book. I would recommend it to anyone.

This Book is Great!
Based around the loose premise of the 'American Dream' this book charts the struggles and hopes of people from all over the world trying to make their way in America. Containing hundreds of interviews, edited by Studs Terkel himself, this book is humbling, wise and an education.

It's full of people shooting from the hip, sharing their truths about what they have experienced and their thoughts on the future.

Oh, and don't be put off by the fact that it was written in 1980, the truth don't date.