This wonderfully idiosyncratic book is a meditation on democracy is now available in a single volume. Despite its original episodic publication, the book coheres beautifully in terms of both artistic unity and the careful evolution of its overarching theme. Each chapter--beginning with the January inauguration of Barack Obama, an event that was the catalyst for the book--represents a month of Kalman's yearlong quest, which included visits to both coasts. Thus, the month of February is devoted to her loving celebration of Abraham Lincoln; March to "the essence of democracy, the town meeting" and so on to December, which concerns George Washington and, finally, a tender and loving evocation of happiness itself