In The American Soul, philosopher and bestselling author Jacob Needleman takes a new measure of the inner beliefs and spiritual sensibilities of the great iconoic figures of American history - Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Lincoln and Frederick Douglas - and of the successes and failures that have shaped America's development as a nation - the destruction of the culture of Native Americans; the defeat in Vietnam; and the enduring influence of America's all-but-forgotten early mystical communities. What emerges is a rediscovery of the timeless truths hidden within the founding vision of America. Free of all religious and philosophical dogma, and liberated ffom historical and political cliches, this uniquely American vision calls us toward a renewed understanding - based in the essential wisdom that has guided every great civilisation - of the purpose of our inner lives and the hope that America can give to an increasingly threatened world. The American Soul is a remarkable achievement. It recovers the wisdom of the founders of the American republic in a new and exciting way, yet it doesn't avoid the many problems we have in appreciating them...In a situation where history has fallen victim to the culture wars, this book is a godsend.