An American Dreamer: Life in a Divided Country -- David Finkel, Hardcover

A man navigates the deep divisions in America today and discovers that sometimes change can start by finding common ground with your neighbors in this immersive account by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Thank You for Your Service and The Good Soldiers.

"Finkel's account is poetic, profound, and irresistibly page-turning."--Geraldine Brooks, author of Horse

As this powerful book begins, Brent Cummings finds himself coping with the feeling that the country he loves is fracturing in front of his eyes. An Iraq war veteran, raised to believe in a vision of America that values fairness, honesty, and respect for others, Cummings is increasingly surprised by the behavior and beliefs of others, and engulfed by the fear, anger, and confusion that is sweeping through his beloved country as he tries to hold on to his values and his hope for America's future.

David Finkel, known for his unique, in-depth reporting, spent fourteen years deep inside Brent Cummings's world to create this intimate and vivid portrait of a man's life, his work, family, community, his thoughts, and his quest for connection, 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."

An American Dreamer illuminates, with the deepest empathy, the feelings and lives of many people in America today, and it is a brilliant chronicle of one person's everyday experiences of frustration, confusion, and hope.

Author: David Finkel
Publisher: Random House
Published: 02/13/2024
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.30w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9780593597064

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 11/01/2023 pg. 19
Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2023
Library Journal 12/01/2023 pg. 100
Publishers Weekly 01/22/2024

About the Author
David Finkel is an editor and writer at The Washington Post. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting. A MacArthur Fellowship recipient, he is the author of Thank You for Your Service and The Good Soldiers.