Tune into the news and you'll hear stories of war, disease, natural disasters, corruption, violence, poverty, crime, nuclear proliferation, terrorism and political dysfunction in Washington. Polls show many believe the American dream is fading, our children face limited opportunities, and the country is decidedly on the wrong track. Yet this dour perspective - one recycled 24/7 by the national media - is a gross distortion of the world we live in today.

As national investment expert and bestselling author Alexander Green reveals in this engrossing and provocative new book, the...