I Like Being American

Download or read book I Like Being American written by Michael Leach and published by Doubleday Books. This book was released on 2003 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An anthology of first-person anecdotes, thought-provoking essays, historical documents, quotes, and illustrations, "I Like Being an American" offers captivating perspectives on the sense of pride, loyalty, and gratitude that inspires and sustains Americans in good times and bad. The contributors range from such well-known figures as Colin Powell (who honors the American GI), Bill Bradley (who reveals in a simple story the complexities of America's race relations), Anna Quinlan (whose "Quilt of a Country" embraces the American tradition of tolerance and multiculturalism) to immigrants from every corner of the globe, who celebrate the myriad opportunities and freedoms of their new homeland. A chapter on the American hero celebrates the five new role models of the country -- teachers, firefighters, GIs, parents, and volunteers -- each section written with the warmth and candor reminiscent of the neighbor next door. And one of the nation's favorite pastimes -- the creation of top-ten lists -- is represented, too, in a delightful miscellany that embraces everything from songs, movies, and books."I Like Being an American" is not about patriotism or nationalism or any ism. It is simply about what the philosopher Teilhard de Chardin called "the chosen part of things." Entertaining, enlightening, and at times controversial, it is a book of rare candor and of great spirit, showcasing in words and pictures why 300 million people -- famous and unknown, young, old, midd