A review by catcaird
The Myth of the American Dream: Reflections on Affluence, Autonomy, Safety, and Power by D.L. Mayfield

3.0

This book wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be clinical and analytical but instead it runs deep with conviction, unveiling the darkness that hides under the guise of the American Dream. It made my heart heavy to read, I felt the weight of injustice that the author encounters every day and I felt the hurt and frustration rolling off each page. She rightly points out that the American dream carries a cost so high it means that those who suffer for it will always be those on the edge of society. It's the same in the UK, although there are some differences. There was a lot in the book that really challenged me, particularly what community looks like & how we truly love our neighbors & neighborhood. But the one thing that it lacked was talking more about how Jesus offers a better dream. This is what I had hoped the book was about, more of a comparison to how the gospel holds out a better hope. The author rightly calls out white evangelical churches & their lack of loving their neighbors & embracing power, but a better hope needs to be held out to people and that hope can only be found in Christ. I felt quite conflicted about this as the challenge of the book struck me hard and there were glimmers of gospel hope scattered here and there but I wanted and needed more.