The Fate of America: An Inquiry into National Character

From the Founding Fathers and the legendary frontiersmen and cowboys, to astronauts, athletes, and other contemporary heroes, Michael Gellert profiles the development of the American heroic ideal. This central component of our national character is examined against the backdrop of three centuries of American history. He reveals how this principle has expressed the nation's aspiration toward greatness and its sense of identity and purpose. He describes how our national character influenced this ideal and pinpoints what has caused it to go awry.