This is a sincere and heartfelt examination of American history and the American character. I was given this book because I attended a presentation given by Dan Rather at my university in 2019. I was impressed with his generosity and how he gave so many people in American the benefit of the doubt in spite of the caustic political and social climate created by Trump and his followers. This book is divided into five main sections: freedom, community, exploration, responsibility, and character. It delves into Rather's meditations on these themes through specific topics, such as the vote, the press, science, arts, the environment, and more. He shares anecdotes about his time growing up in a rural Texas town, as well as people he's crossed paths with throughout his career. His observations about people are generous while recognizing the many bad things about our history as well, such as discrimination and violence. Given that this book was written before the pandemic and the worst part of the Trump presidency, including the insurrection on January 6, I wonder if Dan Rather feels similarly optimistic now?
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