A journey to the roots of the American Dream. Geert Mak has set out once again. The bestselling author of "In Europe" has traveled across the landscape, through history and the present, indeed through the minds and hearts of the USA. From the great East Coast cities to the prairie of the Midwest and all the way to the Pacific. He meets people, makes extraordinary observations, and tells captivating stories. In this book, Mak searches for the roots of the great American Dream and describes the myths, the self-understanding, the greatness, and the torn nature of that country which still occupies our thoughts the most. What has become of the American Dream since John Steinbeck crossed the USA in 1960 with his famous poodle Charley? This is the question that the internationally renowned publicist Geert Mak seeks to answer.