A 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. Mr. Karabell suggested that these utopian impulses have at times achieved much, but eventually leave people disappointed from the results, and thereby a new vision is created to replace the old. Mr. Karabell talks about six specific cycles in American history, beginning with the Pilgrims who desired to follow God’s will to improve society in the new world. The latest is the new economy vision where people looked to expanding personal wealth and some used the Internet to obtain it. Mr. Karabell suggests that this current era is now receding and that we are on the crest of a new vision, which possibly will be a search for a connectedness with society through community and spirituality. He takes questions at the end of close