Ours Was the Shining Future

David Leonhardt is the rare journalist who brilliantly combines a rich “on the ground” understanding of American politics and culture with a command of the latest evidence from economics and social science. Blending these perspectives, his new book gives a sweeping view of how the American Dream of upward mobility faded over the past half century and what we can do to restore it - from changing political power structures to cultural transformation to high-payoff government investments. If you want to build a better future for our children, you will find inspiration in Ours Was the Shining Future. * Raj Chetty, William A. Ackman Professor of Public Economics, Harvard University *An important book – Martin Wolf * Financial Times, Book of the Year *

David Leonhardt is a senior writer at The New York Times, where he writes its flagship newsletter, “The Morning.” He has also been the newspaper’s Washington bureau chief, an op-ed columnist, a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, and the founding editor of “The Upshot.” He has won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. This is his first book.