American Paradise : Hidden Ironies, Contradictions, Illusions, and Delusions, Paradoxes, Dilemmas, and Absurdities in American Life

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. 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--back Cover. Welcome To America Paradise -- The Great American Temptation -- The Axis Of Evil Temptation -- Merchants Of Death -- Paradise Up Close -- What America Has Become -- Life, Liberty, And Happiness -- Freedom's Progress -- The Incredibly Shrinking Nation -- Lifestyle And Other Oddities -- Individualism And Supreme Justice -- The Americanization Of Love -- Paradise Found -- A Phantom Nation -- Weapons Of Mass Destruction -- All That Glitters -- More Economic Oddities -- What Could Have Been -- Paradise Lost, Again -- Living And Dying By The Sword. Jon Huer. Includes Bibliographic References And Index. "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"--Quatrième de couverture "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."--Page 4 of cover