In 1921, the great essayist G. K. Chesterton embarked on a lecture tour of America. Stepping from the boat in New York, Chesterton was still grieving the loss of his brother, yet soon the industry and ideologies of the US would strike inspiration in Chesterton and produce a creative outpouring now assembled into this collection of essays. 'What I saw in America' charts the English writer's impressions of American idealism: on democracy and freedom, but also capitalism, prohibition, and slavery. Chesterton captures the essence of 1920s America and sets it against his own English sensibilities, giving readers an extraordinary glimpse into the history of these two sovereign nations.