Overview

The way we live, work, and die-alone and with other Americans-have so many hidden layers that we might as well say that there are two Americas: one we think we know and the other virtually unknown to us. Such a thought is compelling enough to motivate a sociologist to start writing down what he thinks about the hidden America. Then, what emerges from this effort is a picture of America that is at once so familiar and so alien. It is the alien part of America that troubles us, that scares us, and that pushes us to escape into louder, more colorful, and more pleasant unreality. As our escapism becomes more urgent each day, so does its testimony to the emptiness and loneliness of our solitary existence. Huer discusses this alien part of America in American Paradise.

Full Product Details

Author:   Jon Huer
Publisher:   University Press of America
Imprint:   University Press of America
Dimensions:   Width: 15.60cm , Height: 1.40cm , Length: 23.30cm
Weight:   0.361kg
ISBN:  

9780761851851

ISBN 10:   0761851852
Pages:   228
Publication Date:   05 June 2010
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction. Welcome to American Paradise Chapter 2 Chapter 1. The Great American Temptation Chapter 3 Chapter 2. The Axis of Evil Temptation Chapter 4 Chapter 3. Merchants of Death Chapter 5 Chapter 4. Paradise Up Close Chapter 6 Chapter 5. What America Has Become Chapter 7 Chapter 6. Life, Liberty, and Happiness Chapter 8 Chapter 7. Freedom's Progress Chapter 9 Chapter 8. The Incredibly Shrinking Nation Chapter 10 Chapter 9. Lifestyle and Other Oddities Chapter 11 Chapter 10. Individualism and Supreme Justice Chapter 12 Chapter 11. The Americanization of Love Chapter 13 Chapter 12. Paradise Found Chapter 14 Chapter 13. The Perfect State Chapter 15 Chapter 14. A Phantom Nation Chapter 16 Chapter 15. Weapons of Mass Distraction Chapter 17 Chapter 16. All That Glitters Chapter 18 Chapter 17. More Economic Oddities Chapter 19 Chapter 18. What Could Have Been Chapter 20 Chapter 19. Paradise Lost, Again Chapter 21 Chapter 20. Living and Dying by the Sword Chapter 22 Bibliography

Reviews

[Huer] is a very effective social critic?.He only wants to open our eyes to the path our society is heading and with that purpose in mind, he wholeheartedly accomplishes his goal.....--Robin Koch

Author Information

Jon Huer received his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1975 and is professor of sociology at the University of Maryland University College. He has written a dozen books of social criticism, including The Wages of Sin,Tenure for Socrates, and also The Dead End, which TIME Magazine's Lance Morrow called ""an important and often brilliant book.""

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