About this title: In the tradition of Christopher Lasch's "The Culture of Narcissism," Pulitzer Prize-winner Hedges charts the dramatic and disturbing rise of a post-literate America that craves fantasy, ecstasy, and illusion.
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Edition: First edition.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Nation Books
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781568584379ISBN:1568584377
Description: New in new dust jacket. Glued binding. Paper over boards. 232 p. By the Pulitzer Prize-winng author of WAR IS A FORCE THAT GIVES US MEANING. read more
Binding: Hardback
Publisher: Perseus Books Group
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781568584379ISBN:1568584377
Description: New. In the tradition of Christopher Lasch's "The Culture of Narcissism, " Pulitzer Prize-winner Hedges charts the dramatic and disturbing rise of a post-literate America that craves fantasy, ecstasy, and illusion. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Nation Books
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781568584379ISBN:1568584377
Description: New. First Edition. Items ship once payments have cleared. Media mail 5-8 days Priority 2-3 days and international orders may be subject to customs clearance procedures which can cause delays. Seasonal delays can occur in postal system. All items ship within 24 hours of receiving payment. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Nation Books
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781568584379ISBN:1568584377
Description: pp. 232. Type of binding: Hardcover with dust jacket Details: Discounted new book. This is located at our second store; please anticipate extra delivery time. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Nation Books
Date Published: 2009-07-13
ISBN-13:9781568584379ISBN:1568584377
Description: NEW. Hardcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9781568584379. read more
Binding: Hardcover, New in dust jacket,
Publisher: Nation Books, New York
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781568584379ISBN:1568584377
Description: New. “ Pulitzer Prize-winner Hedges charts the dramatic and disturbing rise of a post-literate America that craves fantasy, ecstasy, and illusion. ” Dramatic? Yes. Disturbing? Well, not in all cases. Hedges argues that our world of ideas is turning into a world of lies. He argues further that the worse the world becomes the more we wish to replace it with games, crap TV and anything else that will help us to ignore or forget. Pretty compelling arguments about the breakdown of ... read more
"This book is not for the faint of heart, but it really nails so much about wrong with the wonderful global economy we live in that I found it to be an essential read. Coming from a background of both divinity school and covering war zones for two decades for the New York Times, Hedges has the journalistic and intellectual chops that too many leftie screeds described as books lack. That said, he may come off as hammering readers over the head a bit hard in his critique of the society of the spectacle, especially in his critique of professional wrestling and trashy Hollywood movies. But while he may occasionally paint his attack with overly broad brush strokes, he does back up his arguments pretty exhaustively in most cases. If the opening about professional wrestling comes off as a bit self-righteous or humorless, I recommend sticking with it anyway, the critique of the financialization of the U.S. economy is right on time and gives so much good useful detail for understanding where we are now that it's a must read. Also a good resource for tightening one's arguments when there are opportunities to fight back against the current status quo.
The chapter on porn is really depressing and hard to read -- I had to skim it. But even though I live in the "I'm empowered by stripping" capital of the U.S. (San Francisco), I have to say I agreed with Hedges's conclusions about the intrinsically destructive nature of the "sex industry" whole-heartedly.
The critique that it didn't offer solutions doesn't sing to me, as I'm sort of tired of simplistic lefty templates that push one course of action or another. Though I understand how it might sound corny to the point of being intolerably cloying, I felt his championing of the ultimate power of love despite all convincing. I was glad he didn't insult his readers's intelligence by implying that there is one true alternative path that will save us."
"This book, written in five essays with the basic theme being life is not always as it appears, has perfect pitch and an outstanding thesis. However, much of it left me bored and uninterested and a little bit perplexed. For an intellectual like Chris Hedges, the chapters on the illusions of reality, academia, America and happiness seemed appropriate and well-argued, I am dumbfounded to know why Hedges spent 40 pages on the porn industry. He did not just spend 40 pages on it, but Hedges went into rather telling detail that was unnecessary and rather gratuitous. A critique of the modern porn industry was done by a much better writer, the late David Foster Wallace, which can be read in his collection Consider the Lobster. In actuality, much of Hedges arguments are recycled from intellectuals like Daniel Boorstin and Neil Postman. While I agreed with much, if not all of Hedges thesis, it was nothing but liberal echo chamber talk, albeit from a very influential and bright speaker."
"Depressing, but powerful and persuasive, as is everything I've read by Hedges. The shallowness and gullibility of "the masses" is hard to deny, but if there's one thing I take exception to here it's Hedges refusal to admit the exceptions. His tendency to take an academic, pundit-like approach that paints an entire nation with one broad brush is a little bit annoying. And while the purpose of the book is clearly journalistic and not prescriptive, it would be a better book if there were some solutions, or hints at solutions, to the monumental problems he describes. Instead of that he offers a pitiful "Hope exists" and "Love will endure" in the final paragraph. That is it, after 200 pages of stupidity, greed and death. Keep hope alive? With what?"
"Hedges is a very perceptive cultural critic. He writes about the vapid world of illusion American culture has become by focusing on professional wrestling, pornography, higher education, nationalism, and positive psychology. This was one of those books that I found myself reading aloud to others because it seems to perfectly sum up what's gone wrong with our politics and our culture. Most of it has to do with capitalism, that has not only bankrupted our coffers but also our souls. Of course, most of us let it happen without lifting a finger. Capitalism continues to dominate, Hedges maintains, only because we gorge ourselves on a fast-food diet of delusions.
My only problem with this book is that it offered little in terms of fixing the problems. Clearly we need a new story. This one has run its course--it's boring, hackneyed and out of date. If you're looking for answers you won't find them here, but there are problems aplenty."
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