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My American Dream: Finding a Second Chance at Life in Photographs of Abandoned Places

by Angela Martin

Abandoned American spaces and a reimagined idea of success

Regular price $34.18 USD
Regular price $56.97 USD Sale price $34.18 USD
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Hardcover New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

Abandoned American spaces and a reimagined idea of success

Angela Martin pairs photographs of abandoned sites in the American mid-South with a personal account of losing her footing in midlife and finding renewed direction through creative work. The book frames these ruins as more than visual subjects: they become a setting for considering reinvention, authenticity, and what a meaningful life can look like beyond material accumulation. Alongside the photographic selection, Martin reflects on the changing American Dream across the past half-century and proposes a “New Dream” grounded in living more fully as oneself. Part photography monograph and part personal meditation, it connects place, artistic practice, and second chances.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in photography of abandoned places and the American mid-South
  • Those seeking personal reflections on creative work and reinvention
  • Readers exploring alternatives to material definitions of success

Themes

Abandonment and placeCreativitySecond chancesAuthenticityThe American Dream

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

In her debut book, My American Dream, southern photographer, Angela Martin, shares a selection of her provocative photographs of abandoned places in the American mid-South. She also candidly relates her personal story about losing the American Dream in midlife, then finally, unexpectedly finding a second chance at life in the ruins of these abandoned places. Angela teaches us how connecting with the right creative work, on the right subject, at the right time, can touch your deepest self and shape who you are anew. Experiencing fine art, whether as a creator or an enthusiast, can transform body and soul, heal old wounds, and open one to fresh horizons filled with endless possibility. Her journey is a testament to the transformative power of creativity, and one filled with valuable lessons for anyone searching for a more meaningful life. My American Dream is both a commentary on the changing face of the American Dream over the last half-century and a call to a New Dream; one based not on the accumulation of wealth and things, but on learning to live a meaningful life as one's most authentic self.

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