An American Dreamer

Life in a Divided Country

By: David Finkel

Narrated by: Rob Shapiro

Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

“A timely and compelling argument for tolerance and moral character in times of extreme antagonism.”—The New York Times

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.

©2024 David Finkel (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A poignant account of the social and political mood in the United States during Trump’s presidency . . . a timely and compelling argument for tolerance and moral character in times of extreme antagonism.”—The New York Times

“Brilliantly reported and staggeringly important, An American Dreamer delivers a gripping story that is as illuminating and poignant as it is a punch in the gut.”—Beth Macy, New York Times bestselling author of Dopesick

“In a lovely Atlanta suburb, two neighbors, 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, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Horse

loves it!!!!

Loved it!!! Would recommend to anyone. Great American story of a soldier while in service.

Returning veterans emotions to a deeply divided and fractured America

The book captures the emotions felt by many veterans as they return to civilian life and now experience the fractured divided political world of today

Humbling Story of Hope

Well written and the narration was excellent. A guide during troubling times and never judge a book or anyone by its cover.

bias

One sided views on the issues that apply to Americans. I would like to read the truth.