America at 250: Who are we, anyway?

America turns 250 this year. The celebrations are already underway — and so are the questions.

President Donald Trump has put himself at the center of the anniversary in Washington, DC, with hype-filled plans for festivals and fireworks. Nationally, the lead-up has turned into a roiling conversation about what America even represents these days — how we all grapple with American identity, politics, and competing visions for the country.

Vox’s journalists have been asking those questions, too, and turning up surprising insights about American history, smart ideas about our future, and even some unheralded good news about the present. The stories below explore America’s quarter-millennium moment from different angles, looking at the forces shaping American life at 250 and beyond.

Jul 1Constance Grady5 books that define America — for better and for worseMiguel Porlan for VoxSome countries built their identities on their land. Some countries built their identities on a shared ethnic heritage. America, however, began with an idea on a piece of paper.“America was an enlightenment experiment, and so that means we have to make our own identity,” said Mark Graybill, a professor of English at Widener University who specializes in American literature. To do so, we need books: novels that articulate what it’s like to live in this strange new land.Read Article >

5 books that define America — for better and for worse

Some countries built their identities on their land. Some countries built their identities on a shared ethnic heritage. America, however, began with an idea on a piece of paper.

“America was an enlightenment experiment, and so that means we have to make our own identity,” said Mark Graybill, a professor of English at Widener University who specializes in American literature. To do so, we need books: novels that articulate what it’s like to live in this strange new land.

Jul 1Marina BolotnikovaAmerica’s housing was built for a world we no longer live inMiguel Porlan for VoxAmerica’s housing supply was built for a world we no longer live in. But what will replace it?As the nation turns 250, that is one of the most important questions we face in the coming decades. Building enough homes, of the right kind, and in the right places is a prerequisite for economic opportunity and growth. Our crippling housing shortage is........

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