Simplicity, modesty, and skillful design are the principles that have guided James Gauer both in his architecture practice and in the selection of the seventeen outstanding projects featured in this unique compilation of small homes by architects from around the country. A range of housing types and settings -- from a diminutive New York City apartment to a farmhouse in Pennsylvania, a cottage in Santa Monica, and a single-family home in Nashville -- illustrates a variety of architectural styles and design solutions that have transformed these small spaces into comfortable, stylish, and cost- and energy-efficient residences. More than just a how-to style guide, The New American Dream traces the history of home building in America and offers readers an understanding of how house sizes and costs have soared -- and why they shouldn't. In clear prose, Gauer lays out the virtues of living in small, skillfully designed dwellings, with chapters that address proportion, scale, light, and modesty, among other topics.