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worth reading and keeping on the shelf for reference
The thick book of essays by 50 writers describing 50 states is an interesting anthology. The essays are very different in style, form and length. I believe there are ones to suit anybody's literary taste, from long, descriptive, guide-like narratives (e.g. California by William T. Vollman, which I enjoyed very much) through short postcards (e.g. Maryland by Myla Goldberg, I think a bit too laconic), satirical pieces (Massachusetts by John Hodgman, in my opinion a little overdone and smug) to inventive, novel forms (New York by Jonathan Franzen, in a form of an interview, funny and fresh), personal accounts (my favorites: very nostalgic Florida by Joshua Ferris and Georgia by Ha Jin, which I especially liked, as it showed the experience of a foreigner, very similar to my own) and even a cartoon (Oregon by Joe Sacco, which employs visual effects in addition to words to describe the state characteristics, creating a very nice effect). The diversity makes this book an uneven read, but I believe different essays can really suit different attitudes and moods.
Some of the writers' names were familiar to me (Franzen, Erdrich, Jin, Eggers, Lahiri, Fuller, Patchett), but the majority weren't. I was happy to discover these authors and will follow up on them. Note, that the authors did not have to be natives of the states they wrote about, which adds some flavor and honesty to the accounts; the local patriotism, if any, is mostly acquired. The preface by Matt Weiland provided a nice intro and mentiones some Americana I would like to read, too. The encyclopaedic details about each state make this book a staple for each bookshelf.
The photos in the middle were a welcome addition. I did not understand other reviewars' objections about the photo representing Maine (it shows a row of nude women, photographed with their backs to the camera, completely benign; I felt it cannot be offensive even for a five year old - otherwise the art from Rubens to Modigliani should be also considered shocking and offensive; but then, I am from Europe, so who am I to judge the American attitudes to the upbringing of infantren) and the comments on the pronounced liberalism of the whole book - I did not feel it; to my foreign taste, it gave me a good overview of the diversity and complexity found in this vast country, with its landscapes, art, infrastructure and, most importantly, the behaviors and habits of the inhabitants of the fifty states.
[Thursday, November 20, 2008]
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State by State: A Portrait of America
This is an absorbing book. Each chapter is a story which reflects the atmosphere of the state it represents. There is one chapter for each State in the Union. It's a book that one can read a chapter and come back to it later, much like a book of short stories. The book is well written and put together. I think you will like it, and would recommend it.
[Wednesday, November 19, 2008]
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