Great Americans: Stories of Resilience and Joy in Everyday Life is a collection of my favorite stories from 30 years at The Philadelphia Inquirer. I was a Pulitzer Prize winning staff writer there until late 2015, and concentrated on human interest stories and narratives. I believe profoundly in the power of stories to inspire, to bring people together, and to change the world. I chose these stories because they highlight spirit and sacrifice and determination and commitment and goodness. Most of these people in this book faced and overcame incredible adversities. With a lifetime of stories to choose from, selection was a challenge. I’ve added a postscript that includes an update on the subject of the profile. In addition, I also included a list of rules and tools of writing and reporting that I’ve learned over a lifetime as well as five of my own personal stories. They are short narratives about my life that reflect and highlight my own development as a writer. These are a sampling of my life’s work, an expression of how I see the world, and I suppose an example of my own resilience and joy.