American Future, The

InNovember2008theUnitedStateswillelectanewPresident.ButtheimminentcollapseoftwentyyearsofRepublicanconservativismmeansthecountryisalreadyconductinganintenseself-examinationaboutthetrajectoryofitshistory;howitcametofinditselfinmultiplecrisesandhowanAmericathatbeganas'thelast,besthopeofearth'cametobesosuspectedandvilifiedaroundmuchoftheworld.*TheAmericanFuture:AHistory,writtenbyanauthorwhohasspenthalfhislifethere,takesthelongviewofhowtheUnitedStateshascometothisanguishedmomentoftruthaboutitsownidentityasanationanditsplaceintheworld.*IneachofthechaptersdevotedtothemostcompellingissuesfacingAmericansnow-theprojectionofpower("Americanwar");race,immigrationandtheproblematicpromiseofepluribusunum("Americanskin");theintensityofreligiousconvictioninpubliclife("Americanfervour");themystiqueofAmericanlandanditsbattleswiththeimperativesofprofit('AmericanPlenty'-Schamatracesthedeephistoryofthepresentcrisis.*CumulativelythechaptersbuildintoahistoryofAmericanexceptionalism-the'Americandifference'thatmeanssomuchtoitspeoplebutwhichhasleditintocalamitiesaswellastriumphs.*TheAmericanFuture:AHistoryarguesthatifyouwanttoknowwhatistrulyatstake,youneedtoabsorbthesestoriesandunderstandthishistory-forunderstandingistheconditionofhope.