As our nation faces a difficult and long recovery from a severe recession, this book provides the direction we need to regain our strength and rebuild our economy. The author emphasizes the need for partnerships and coordination among entrepreneurs, government and education to continue our leadership in technical innovation.The author makes the critical case that our educational system must be revamped to focus on the STEM areas - science, technology, engineering and mathematics - in order to address the serious skills gap. The book identifies numerous excellent examples of "linked learning" that provide both the necessary academic and work related skills. In general the book brings together three vital elements that makes it a must-read: it clearly lays out the need for and challenges of innovation;it offers insights about what must be done; then there is the most crucial element, optimism.The author explains why optimism must be the underlying attitude. The reader is thus not only educated, but also inspired to action, to both pursue innovation and to help ensure an environment enabling innovation to flourish in the U.S.