This is the story of the American dream as lived by a penniless immigrant who struggled from the depths to the peaks. It is by turns funny, informative and exciting, having, as it does, the narrative drive of a spy novel. It also raises questions, and will have you debating, about the costs other people in this world--in this case, the people of Central and South America--have had to pay so that we could live our dream. It is the story of manifest destiny and endless expansion lived by one man. He was good and bad, but he fascinates because he was so utterly human.