Book excerpt: This essential volume showcases portraits of prominent Americans who have influenced the nation's history from its earliest days to the present. It features 150 paintings, photographs, drawings, posters, sculptures, screenprints, and digital video stills carefully selected from the National Portrait Gallery of leading politicians, artists, athletes, celebrities, and scholars. Each image is accompanied by commentary that illuminates the person's life and legacy. Subjects include Mark Twain, Benjamin Franklin, Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, Louis Armstrong, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, John Steinbeck, Venus and Serena Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Pedro Martinez, and Oprah Winfrey. Portrait of a Nation is a compelling composite portrait of America.