Over the years, one of America's most acclaimed novelists has quietly produced some of the best essays in the land. In these 16 reflections upon American texts, Doctorow shows us the hidden connections between our poets and our presidents, our classic literary works and the lyrics of popular songs, the ways of 19th-century New York and the way we live now. Each one carries with it the remarkable talents of the novelist and suggests that the proper practice of letters knows no bounds. This selection of essays is preeminently concerned with the character of America -- who we are and why we are this way.