american dream

Born in 1941 in Queens and raised by alcoholic Irish immigrant parents, Eileen Tumulty dreams of better life and she thinks she's found the perfect partner in a promising research scientist, but Eileen quickly discovers Ed doesn't aspire to the same American Dream and later it becomes clear that his growing reluctance is part of a deeper psychological shift.

Examines America's contemporary batch of amateurs and their pursuits, arguing that America's love of self-invented obsessives has always driven the country to rediscover the true heart of the American dream.

Argues that an individual's superiority complex, insecurity, and impulse control determine whether he will be successful in the United States.

Contains eleven articles in which the authors provide various prospectives on the American dream, debating what the dream is and if it is attainable in the twenty-first centry.