American Essence

FOR EVERYONE WHO LOVES THIS COUNTRY

PUBLISHER Dana Cheng

EDITORIAL

Editor-In-Chief Managing Editor

History & Literature Editor

Lifestyle & Food Editor Arts Editor

Editors-At-Large

Production Manager Production Assistant

Channaly Philipp

Annie Wu

Sharon Kilarski

Crystal Shi

Jennifer Schneider

Tynan Beatty

Maria Han

Astrid Wang

Jennifer Tseng

CREATIVE

Lead Designer Designers

Photo Editor

Cristina Greaney

Jasmina Zhang

Sunny Lo

Tatsiana Moon

Contributors

Karim Shamsi-Basha, Kenneth LaFave, Gwen McCorquodale, Eve Lyn Forbes, Pamela Beiler, J.D. Haines, Andrew Benson Brown, Rachel Pfeiffer, Jeff Minick, Raymond Beegle, Mark Lardas, Eric Lucas, Anita Sherman, Bob Kirchman, Michael Wing

Editor’s Note

Dear Readers,

In this issue, we get a bird’s-eye view—from the stratosphere—of an example of American creativity and innovation. Art Thompson, whose credits include designing a space capsule for the Red Bull Stratos project—in which Felix Baumgartner set a record for becoming the first person to break the sound barrier in free fall—gives us insider details into the project (page 14). The feat inspired millions around the globe; and just as it relied on those scientists and test pilots who came before, it also offered valuable research for the future of manned endeavors at the edge of space.

In this issue’s “Why I Love America” essay (page 34), a touching first-person perspective also takes us back to a moment of first landing in America (this time, at an airport, and via airplane). We also pay a visit to pianist Ignat Solzhenitsyn (page 10), who reflects on the future of classical music and the legacy of his father, Nobel Prizewinning author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

Don’t miss the courageous tale of Virginia Prodan (page 24), who found herself on Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s hit list because she stood up for religious freedom—and ended up face-to-face with the man sent to kill her. It reminds us, indeed, that America continues to be the home of the brave.

Editor-In-Chief Channaly Philipp Editor@AmericanEssence.net

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