The time of our lives : [a conversation about America : who we are, where we've been, and where we need to go now, to recapture the American dream

The author, known for his landmark work in American journalism and for his other books, The Greatest Generation, and Boom!, now turns his attention to the challenges that face America in the new millennium, to offer reflections on how we can restore America's greatness. "What happened to the America I thought I knew?" he writes. "Have we simply wandered off course, but only temporarily? Or have we allowed ourselves to be so divided that we are easy prey for hijackers who could steer us onto a path to a crash landing? I do have some thoughts, original and inspired by others, for our journey into the heart of a new century." Rooted in the values, lessons, and verities of generations past and of his South Dakota upbringing, he weaves together stories of Americans who are making a difference and personal stories from his own family history, to engage us in a conversation about our country and to offer ideas for how we can revitalize the promise of the American Dream. Inviting us to foster a rebirth of family, community, and civic engagement as profound as the one that won World War II, built our postwar prosperity, and ushered in the Civil Rights era, he traces the changes in modern life, in values, education, public service, housing, the Internet, and more, that have transformed our society in the decades since the age of thrift in which he was raised. Offering ideas from Americans who are change agents in their communities, he gives us a book that is a vision of hopefulness in an age of diminished expectations. Read more... Abstract: The author, known for his landmark work in American journalism and for his other books, The Greatest Generation, and Boom!, now turns his attention to the challenges that face America in the new millennium, to offer reflections on how we can restore America's greatness. "What happened to the America I thought I knew?" he writes. "Have we simply wandered off course, but only temporarily? Or have we allowed ourselves to be so divided that we are easy prey for hijackers who could steer us onto a path to a crash landing? I do have some thoughts, original and inspired by others, for our journey into the heart of a new century." Rooted in the values, lessons, and verities of generations past and of his South Dakota upbringing, he weaves together stories of Americans who are making a difference and personal stories from his own family history, to engage us in a conversation about our country and to offer ideas for how we can revitalize the promise of the American Dream. Inviting us to foster a rebirth of family, community, and civic engagement as profound as the one that won World War II, built our postwar prosperity, and ushered in the Civil Rights era, he traces the changes in modern life, in values, education, public service, housing, the Internet, and more, that have transformed our society in the decades since the age of thrift in which he was raised. Offering ideas from Americans who are change agents in their communities, he gives us a book that is a vision of hopefulness in an age of diminished expectations

Tom Brokaw, known and beloved for his landmark work in American journalism and for the New York Times bestsellers The Greatest Generation and Boom!, now turns his attention to the challenges that face America in the new millennium, to offer reflections on how we can restore America’s greatness.
 
“What happened to the America I thought I knew?” Brokaw writes. “Have we simply wandered off course, but only temporarily? Or have we allowed ourselves to be so divided that we’re easy prey for hijackers who could steer us onto a path to a crash landing? . . . I do have some thoughts, original and inspired by others, for our journey into the heart of a new century.”
 
Rooted in the values, lessons, and verities of generations past and of his South Dakota upbringing, Brokaw weaves together inspiring stories of Americans who are making a difference and personal stories from his own family history, to engage us in a conversation about our country and to offer ideas for how we can revitalize the promise of the American Dream.
 
Inviting us to foster a rebirth of family, community, and civic engagement as profound as the one that won World War II, built our postwar prosperity, and ushered in the Civil Rights era, Brokaw traces the exciting, unnerving changes in modern life—in values, education, public service, housing, the Internet, and more—that have transformed our society in the decades since the age of thrift in which he was raised. Offering ideas from Americans who are change agents in their communities, in The Time of Our Lives, Brokaw gives us, a wise, honest, and wide-ranging book, a nourishing vision of hopefulness in an age of diminished expectations.

Who we are, where we’ve been, and where we need to go now, to recapture the American dream Now with a new Foreword by the author. “The best presentation of the challenges facing the country—and the possible solutions—I've ever seen.”—P. J. O’Rourke Tom Brokaw, known and beloved for his landmark work in American journalism and for the New York Times bestsellers The Greatest Generation and Boom!, now turns his attention to the challenges that face America in the new millennium, to offer reflections on how we can restore America’s greatness. Rooted in the values, lessons, and verities of generations past and of his South Dakota upbringing, Brokaw weaves together inspiring stories of Americans who are making a difference and personal stories from his own family history, to engage us in a conversation about our country and to share ideas for how we can revitalize the promise of the American Dream. Inviting us to foster a rebirth of family, community, and civic engagement as profound as the one that helped win World War II, built our postwar prosperity, and ushered in the Civil Rights era, Brokaw traces the exciting, unnerving changes in modern life—in values, education, public service, housing, the Internet, and more—that have transformed our society in the decades since the age of thrift in which he was raised. In offering ideas from Americans who are change agents in their communities, Brokaw gives us a nourishing vision of hopefulness in an age of diminished expectations. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Inspiring tales of how people from different walks of life have found ways to be of service to their communities and country.”—Walter Isaacson Content: Getting the Fundamentals Right. Generations One nation, indivisible K through twelve and the hazards along the way Old school ties and new world requirements Don't know much about geometry Church of thrift Survivors House broken. -- Assignment America. Uncle Sam needs us The United States academy of public service Stepping up and signing up. -- Help Me Make It Through This New Dot-Com Age. Wire the world but don't short circuit your soul Everyone's a journalist Partners. -- What Now, Grandma and Grandpa? Balancing the book of life Failure is an option The grandparent lode September of my years. Generations One nation, indivisible K through 12 and the hazards along the way Old school ties and new world requirements Don't know much about geometry Church of thrift Survivors : the loopers House broken Uncle Sam needs us The United States academy of public service Stepping up and signing up Wire the world but don't short circuit your soul Partners Balancing the book of life Failure is an option Everyone's a journalist The grandparent lode September of my years. The NBC news anchor and former White House correspondent evaluates the American dream of the past, present and future as experienced by four generations of his and other families