Classical rhetoric in English poetry Book

This is what a history book ought to be.
In school we were taught all the names and dates that make up an important part of American history. What we missed out on is the story, the adventure of forming a nation.

I bought the 1931 edition on Amazon because I wanted to read about the idea of the American Dream. The phrase comes up often in books by Hunter S. Thomspson.
I was surprised to learn that the term has a specific origin and a short history. It seems almost an afterthought. The phrase comes up frequently but isn't defined until the end of the book. This is one of those books that will change the way you look at the world.