Participants talked about the impact of September 11 terrorist attacks. They also reviewed the news of the day, books and other topics. All of the guests contributed chapters to Booknotes: Stories from American History.
Read moreMisunderstanding Islam
In the wake of September 11, the reading interests of the American public have changed. To a lesser extent, so have the interests of readers throughout the Western world. This may not rank as one of the more significant consequences of the attack on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, but it does reflect a new awareness on the part of millions of people--an awareness of just how ignorant they have been about Muslims.
Read moreLost Horizon
LA Times review of A Visionary Nation.
Read moreExamining the dreams that shaped America
Chicago Tribune review of A Visionary Nation
Read moreA Visionary Nation
Mr. Karabell talked about his book, A Visionary Nation: Four Centuries of American Dreams and What Lies Ahead, published by HarperCollins. The book is about the cyclical nature of visions and promises made during America’s history in the attempt to make a perfect society.
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Why Go Chasing the Next Utopia?
It's frequently said that the United States is a young country, but with 150 years of colonial history plus 225 years since the Declaration of Independence, we are starting to accumulate some serious history.
Read moreA Visionary Nation: Four Centuries of American Dreams and What Lies Ahead
FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY | JUNE 6, 2001
The magical fusion of the Web, the computer, and the stock market is a unique product of our cultural moment; the presence of visionaries who believe that they are fundamentally transforming culture is not,"" writes Zachary Karabell (The Last Campaign: How Harry Truman Won the 1948 Election) in A Visionary Nation: Four Centuries of American Dreams and What Lies Ahead. He traces the visionary drive behind U.S. evolution from the Puritans' city on a hillto westward expansion and Carnegie's ""Gospel of Wealth""; governmental growth precipitated by Teddy Roosevelt and realized under the New Deal; and the 1990s New Economy. Lastly, Karabell predicts three possible global scenarios: more people will make more money until ""the rewards will be diffused throughout society""; the stock market will collapse, with all the attendant losses; or ""the New Economy doesn't collapse but also doesn't fulfill its incredible promise"" (see scenario one). Perceptive, edgy and articulate, Karabell embodies the voice and perspective (tempered by considerable historical research) of millions of 20- and 30-something intellectuals and professionals.