To Aspen and Back: An American Journey by Peggy Clifford

“Like New York and Hollywood, Aspen describes a state of mind and a way of life. In its 100-year history, the town has staged the birth, death, and resurrection of the ‘American Dream.’ It is the legend of that attainable dream that Peggy Clifford illuminates in her story of the growth of this American town. … But the directions of dreams are not always consistent. The town-out-of-time attracted innocents, dreamers, and fugitives from the Land of Plenty, but the town of art and sport they created attracted others smart enough to know a good and profitable thing.”

Reviews of To Aspen and Back: An American Journey

“A suitable introduction to one of America’s top petting zoos.” — Thomas McGuane

“To Aspen and Back is a lovely, bittersweet memoir about an important American journey. Peggy Clifford is at once a lyrical writer and a no-nonsense investigative reporter. Her story of ‘Progress, American Style’ in this fairyland town is a wonderful, balanced picture of a way that we have all affected, or been affected by, the so-called ‘American Dream.’ It is a fascinating view into the shakers and movers and losers involved in the creation of a gaudy and beautiful monster during this past quarter century...an evenly tempered book, written right on the nose but without rancor: a fine evocation and provocative document for our times.” — John Nichols

“The best social history of a period since Gatsby...Clifford’s given us a beautiful read...and a most accurate picture of a pulverized and searching America.” — Warren Bennis