Reiner Leist's most ambitious photographic project to date provides a unique look at America through portraits of its people. Each of Leist's portraits is juxtaposed with a childhood portrait of the same person, enhanced by autobiographical essays which shed light on the individuals' often colourful lives. Over a period of seven years Leist travelled across America, photographing people from Rochester to Key West and from New York City to Los Angeles. Like America itself, the book presents a diverse tableau of race and background, youth and experience, native born and immigrant, capturing the complex mix of America's contemporary society.