Few politicians have risen to national prominence as quickly as Marco Rubio. At age forty-one he?s the subject of widespread interest and speculation. But he has never before told the full story of his unlikely journey, with all the twists and turns that made him an American son.That journey began when his parents first left Cuba in 1956. After ... more »Fidel Castro solidified his Communist grip on power, Mario and Oria Rubio could never again return to their homeland. But they embraced their new country and taught their children to appreciate its unique opportunities. Every sacrifice they made over the years, as they worked hard at blue-collar jobs in Miami and Las Vegas, was for their children.As a boy, Rubio spent countless hours with his grandfather, discussing history and current events. ?Papa? loved being Cuban, but he also loved America for being a beacon of liberty to oppressed people around the world. As Rubio puts it, ?My grandfather didn?t know America was exceptional because he read about it in a book. He lived it and saw it with his own eyes.?Devastated after his grandfather?s death, Rubio was getting poor grades and struggled to fit in at his high school, where some classmates mocked him as ?too American.? But then he buckled down for college and law school, driven by his twin passions for football and politics. He played football at a small college in Missouri, then came back to Florida to attend Santa Fe Community College and the University of Florida. He went on to earn his law degree from the University of Miami and took a job at a law firm, which paid him a handsome salary that allowed his father to retire.As a young attorney he ran for the West Miami City Commission, a role that led to the Florida House of Representatives. In just six years he rose to Speaker of the House and became a leading advocate for free enterprise, better schools, limited government, and a fairer, simpler tax system. He found that he could connect with people across party lines while still upholding conservative values.His U.S. Senate campaign started as an extreme long shot against Florida?s popular incumbent governor, Charlie Crist. Undaunted by the early poll numbers and the time away from his wife and kids, Rubio traveled the state with his message of empowerment and optimism. He upset Crist in both the primary and a dramatic three-way general election, after Crist quit the GOP to run as an independent.Now Rubio speaks on the national stage about the challenges we face and the better future that?s possible if we return to our founding principles. As he puts it, ?Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about allowing people to catch up.?In that vision, as in his family?s story, Rubio proves that the American Dream is still alive for those who pursue it.

The Market's bargain prices are even better for Paperbackswap club members! Retail Price: ~~$26.95~~ Buy New (Hardcover): $17.89 (save 33%) or Become a PBS member and pay $13.99+1 PBS book credit (save 48%)
ISBN-13: 9781595230942 ISBN-10: 1595230947 Publication Date: 6/19/2012 Pages: 320 Rating: Currently 0/5 Stars. ? 0 stars, based on 0 rating	Publisher: Sentinel HC Book Type: Hardcover Members Wishing: 27 Reviews: Amazon \| Write a Review

Similar books to this author and title:

Blacklash: How Obama and the Left Are Driving Americans to the Government Plantation

$Can\'t Is Not an Option: My American Story$

The Tyranny of Cliches: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas

$Fast and Furious: Barack Obama\'s Bloodiest Scandal and the Shameless Cover-Up$

Genres:

My Account
Post Books
Wish List
Bookshelf
Member Tools
Under the Hood
Newsletter Archive

Search for a Book
Browse My Favorite Genres
Advanced Book Search
Book Browser
Club Tag Cloud
NYT Best Sellers
Newbery Medal Winners
Pulitzer Prize Winners
Books Posted Today
Award Winning Books
Mobile / PDAs

Help Center
How to Swap Books
Ask the Librarian
Live Help
Browser Test
Feature List
Amazon Search

Community
Spread the Word
Widgets & APIs
Feeds RSS/XML
Box-O-Books
Discussion Forums
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Company
Press & Media
Pulse of PBS
Contact Us
Careers
Privacy & Security

Sister Sites
SwapaDVD.com
SwapaCD.com

Back to the Top ↑

Tell a friend about this book...

Search - An American Son: A Memoir