Our American story : the search for a shared national narrative / edited by Joshua A. Claybourn.

Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction / Joshua A. Claybourn -- Composite nation? / David W. Blight -- National narratives as habits of thought / James V. Wertsch -- The plastic age / Jason Kuznicki -- In pursuit of an idea : America's ongoing quest / Ali Wyne -- Can the United States be one people? / Gordon S. Wood - Holding ourselves together / John C. Danforth -- Society and service / Jim Banks -- The story of us : community cohesion / Cherie Harder -- An American community / Nikolas Gvosdev -- A dream for anyone and everyone / Markos Moulitsas -- Foot-voting nation / Ilya Somin -- Transatlantic perspectives / Spencer P. Boyer -- Embattled farmers / Cass R. Sunstein -- America as a social movement / Eleanor Clift -- Yankee ingenuity / Gerard N. Magliocca -- American minimalism : why no robust account of national identity is possible--or desirable / Richard A. Epstein -- One nation divisible / Alan Taylor -- America's broken narrative of exceptionalism / Cody Delistraty.

"Over the past few decades, the complicated divides of geography, class, religion, and race created deep fractures in the United States, each side fighting to advance its own mythology and political interests. We lack a central story, a common ground we can celebrate and enrich with deeper meaning. Unable to agree on first principles, we cannot agree on what it means to be American. As we dismantle or disregard symbols and themes that previously united us, can we replace them with stories and rites that unite our tribes and maintain meaning in our American identity? Against this backdrop, Our American Story features leading thinkers from across the political spectrum--Jim Banks, David W. Blight, Spencer P. Boyer, Eleanor Clift, John C. Danforth, Cody Delistraty, Richard A. Epstein, Nikolas Gvosdev, Cherie Harder, Jason Kuznicki, Gerard N. Magliocca, Markos Moulitsas, Ilya Somin, Cass R. Sunstein, Alan Taylor, James V. Wertsch, Gordon S. Wood, and Ali Wyne. Each draws on expertise within their respective fields of history, law, politics, and public policy to contribute a unique perspective about the American story. This collection explores whether a unifying story can be achieved and, if so, what that story could be"-- Provided by publisher.