A review by mattbeatty
Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History by Kurt Andersen
4.0
This book is chock-full of fascinating information and analysis. Kurt Andersen is very thorough, and while like to consider his analysis cherry-picked, or circular, or self-fulfilling, I found it extremely sensible, well-researched, and pointedly accurate.
If you're looking for a rather verbose but truly interesting history of America, and why we're "exceptional" among the developed world with fantastical logic and bizarrely irrational conspiracy ideas, look no further. He definitely leans liberal, but gives the left and new age extremism a good dose of scrutiny as well. Not for the faint of heart.
I would gladly read this again. I also have recommended it to most of my family and friends, including my 15-year old son.
If you're looking for a rather verbose but truly interesting history of America, and why we're "exceptional" among the developed world with fantastical logic and bizarrely irrational conspiracy ideas, look no further. He definitely leans liberal, but gives the left and new age extremism a good dose of scrutiny as well. Not for the faint of heart.
I would gladly read this again. I also have recommended it to most of my family and friends, including my 15-year old son.