In Search of America
Anchorman Jennings and television producer Brewster illuminate  contemporary American society with six stories, set in six  different locations, examining central themes of American life:  race, government, business, immigration, religion and culture.  Each section is buttressed by thematically related sidebars and  full-color illustrations. The battle in a South Carolina town to  have creationism added to the public school biology curriculum  is viewed in the context of the ongoing struggle between  religion and science in America, and the chapter is supplemented  by a discussion of the Scopes trial, the often overlooked  complexity of Thomas Jefferson's ideas on religion and state and  a look at the battle over textbooks in Texas. Another chapter  focuses on attempts to revive the downtown of predominantly  black Gary, Ind., thus highlighting the role of race in America.  A look at Frito-Lay's efforts to market potato chips around the  world underscores the role of business in America and its  attempt to spread "the gospel of the free market" to undeveloped  countries. The presentation is highly polished, and the authors  report nonjudgmentally on various points of view in each  controversy. But the authors do reach an optimistic  conclusion that, indeed, the principles laid down by the  founders 225 years ago "still form the essence of the American  identity." (One-day laydown Sept. 3)  Forecast: Major ABC promotion, a $500,000 national print ad  campaign and the airing of the multipart TV program of the same  title September 3-9, as well as the Jennings name, will make  this a bestseller like the authors' last collaboration, The  Century.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.