How america went haywire, a 500year history, the new book by kurt andersen, the novelist, longtime studio 360 publicradio host and cofounder of spy magazine. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Andersen is no fan of trumps, but he couldnt help appreciate how the former tv celebritys ascension to the. Fantasyland presents the very best kind of ideaone that, in retrospect, seems obvious, but that took a seer like kurt andersen to piece together. How america went haywire, his extremely welltimed history of hucksterism, credulousness and questionable beliefs, he demonstrates why. Sep 05, 2017 books kurt andersens beautiful dark twisted fantasy in fantasyland. A 500year history by kurt andersen fantasyland is a provocative book that describes how being being free to believe anything in. How america went haywire, a 500year history, the new book by kurt andersen, the novelist, longtime studio 360 publicradio host and co. Jim dieugenio offers a blistering critique of the cover essay for the current issue of the atlantic monthly, which proposesyet againthat the widespread belief in conspiracies, with its supposed origin in the sixties, accounts for how us cultural and political life has become unhinged. I picked fantasyland off the shelf because just like every other american, i believe the country is haywire. To read them together is to see two talented intellectuals cover the same ground, draw on similar sources, and come up with intriguingly different interpretations. The book is about how these kinds of nutty conspiracy theories and all kinds of magical thinking really are pretty fundamental to the american character, anderson said. Fantasyland is a provocative book that describes how being being free to believe anything in america has metastasized out of control. Fantasyland 2017 takes readers on a journey through the past 500 years of american history to show just how often this land has been home to people with a bewildering take on reality.
The premise of kurt andersens ravenously exhaustive new book fantasyland is that us history is a nightmare from which its citizens, at least those privileged to. A 500year history, tackles many of the themes he has written about over the course of his career, including how our politics is. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Kurt andersen is the author of the novels true believers, heyday, and turn of. Nov 08, 2017 when donald trump won the us presidential election in 2016, kurt anderson was halfway through a book that he would title fantasyland. A versatile, funny guy born and raised in heartland nebraska, andersen left for harvard to write for its lampoon, cofounded the satirical. I feel compelled to attempt to understand how we got here.
Andersen was born in omaha, nebraska, and graduated from westside high. In the late 1990s i wrote a few articles pointing toward itabout american politics. Andersen is no fan of trumps, but he couldnt help appreciate how the former tv celebritys ascension to the highest office of power in the country confirmed the thesis of his book. How america went haywire, explains the rise of that 80s developer shortfingered vulgarian donald. Fantasyland author kurt andersen on how americans believe. All are waystations of andersens fantasyland, an assemblage not just of scattered false beliefs, but whole lifestyles cobbled from them, which lands us in the 1960s and its ethos. Im still touring some and talking about fantasyland in the media but no more western stops on the schedule currently. Kurt andersen introduces his new book, fantasyland. Kurt andersen is the author of the novels turn of the century, heyday, and true believers, and and, with alec baldwin of you cant spell america without me. Author kurt andersen describes how the 1960s and the internet gave. Bestselling novelist, public radio host, and acclaimed cultural critic kurt andersen tackles that question in his latest book, fantasyland. Kurt andersen has produced a unified field theory that might just explain everything. Sep 30, 2017 kurt andersen random housethomas hart shelbyappaul sancyaphoto montage by salon kurt andersen in fantasyland.
Fantasyland by kurt anderson a fascinating historical perspective of the beginning of american history in the 1600s with the quest for gold to contemporary time where the enlightenment not only produced scientific thoughts but varied degrees of imaginary cults scams and alternate realities which have led us to excessive pursuit of shallow amusements rather than meaningful ideas of. Kurt andersen is the author of the novels true believers, heyday, and turn of the century, and has written for film, television, and stage. New york times bestseller the single most important explanation, and the fullest. This is a really great book, but the absolute best thing about it is the narration by kurt anderson, the author. Fantasyland by kurt anderson a fascinating historical perspective of the beginning of american history in the 1600s with the quest for gold to contemporary time where the enlightenment not only produced scientific thoughts but varied degrees of imaginary cults scams and alternate realities which have led us to excessive pursuit of shallow amusements rather than meaningful ideas of substance. Kurts book is an entertaining, wonderfullywritten exploration of this thesis.
Jun 30, 2017 bestselling novelist, public radio host, and acclaimed cultural critic kurt andersen tackles that question in his latest book, fantasyland. A 500year history kindle edition by andersen, kurt. The scope of this book extends way beyond the contagion of clearcut, fact checkable untruths. When donald trump won the us presidential election in 2016, kurt anderson was halfway through a book that he would title fantasyland. How america went haywire, explains the rise of that 80s developer shortfingered vulgarian donald trump, as spy used to call him but does much more. Sep 23, 2017 fantasyland could not appear at a more perfect moment.
Kurt andersen born august 22, 1954 is an american writer and host of the peabody winning public radio program studio 360, a production of public radio international. With this rousing book, kurt andersen proves to be the kind of. Nov 09, 2017 kurt andersen and filmmaker morgan neville have teamed with godfrey dadich partners to develop an unscripted tv series based on andersens new book fantasyland. Do your own thing, find your own reality, its all relative. In this sweeping, eloquent history of america, kurt andersen shows that whats happening in our. Kurt andersen is the host and cocreator of studio 360 and author of fantasyland. If you want to understand donald trump and the culture of twentyfirstcentury america, if you want to know how the lines between reality and illusion have become dangerously blurred, you must read this book.
Kurt andersen, morgan neville developing fantasyland as. Read an excerpt now entering fantasyland this book has been germinating for a long time. How america went haywire will be published in september 2017. Random house presents the audiobook edition of fantasyland, written and read by kurt anderson. It put the birth of fake news and false claims into a. Kurt andersen on donald trump and fantasyland bbc newsnight. Some narrators are very good but they sound like what they are. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading fantasyland.
Donald trumps presidency is the cue for a caustic deconstruction of us history. Through a wealth of examples, andersen tells us how americans have indulged in some farfetched fantasies in their excuses for gun ownership, slavery and new religions. The hindustan times, delhi ive never read a history book thats as insightful and at the same time as funny as this one. Fantasyland could not appear at a more perfect moment. Books kurt andersens beautiful dark twisted fantasy in fantasyland. Fantasyland by kurt andersen overdrive rakuten overdrive. America was created by true believers and passionate. It put the birth of fake news and false claims into a wider. A 500 year history is an unsettling read for unsettling times. This article has been adapted from kurt andersens book fantasyland. Kurt andersen turned in the manuscript of his latest book, fantasyland, in spring of 2016, just as donald trump was winning the nomination for the republican presidential candidate.
How america went haywirea 500year history random house, 2017 a problematic volume which deserved the more. Now entering fantasyland this book has been germinating for a long time. With this rousing book, kurt andersen proves to be the kind of cleareyed critic. American delusion and donald trump public radio host started writing a book. Its not, but thats where we are today, at least by andersens account, though he. Kurt andersens comprehensive history of american bunkum and balderdash, fantasyland, is the work of a man with a particular picture to paint and a willingness to follow wherever the bizarre facts lead him. Youre entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts. Anderson ignores the fact that the internet has also become a firehose of actual, factual information as well as a siren call for lazy people seeking confirmation bias. Kurt andersen is the author of the instant bestselling book fantasyland. Youre probably going to hear this book described as the one that explains how donald trump got elected president. In james joyces ulysses, stephen dedalus claims that history is a nightmare from which he is trying to awake. How america went haywirea 500year history random house, 2017. A 500year history by kurt andersen fantasyland is a provocative book that describes how being being free to believe anything in america has metastasized out of control.
Fantasyland is, as the subtitle says, a 500year history of the united states, recounted through a particular prism, and i find the thesis convincing and compelling. Kennedys and king how the atlantic monthly and kurt. Im still touring some and talking about fantasyland in the media butmore glad you liked the excerpt from in the atlantic and hope you enjoy the book. Kurt andersen on fantasyland, the 60s, and how we got trump. A 500 year history kurt andersen, 2017 random house 480 pp. Its too early to say whether the internet is a cancer or a cure. The greatest show on earth by robert darnton the new. Kurt andersen is really on to somethingespecially in the current climate, where facts are too often dismissed in favor of uninformed opinions and fanciful beliefs. He is also host of the peabody awardwinning weekly public radio program studio 360. How america went haywire, explains the rise of that 80s developer shortfingered vulgarian donald trump, as. Kurt andersen and filmmaker morgan neville have teamed with godfrey dadich partners to develop an unscripted tv series based on andersens new book fantasyland. A 500year history 2017, anderson offers the best explanations yet delving into our past 500 years for the seeds of the present unhinging of us. A very stimulating, thoughtprovoking book on the nature of the american. His nonfiction books include fantasyland, reset and the real thing.
Anderson clearly did a massive amount of research for this book and then put that into an immensely entertaining, insightful and. From the cover now entering fantasyland this book has been germinating for a long time. New york times bestseller the single most important explanation, and the fullest explanation, of how donald trump became president of the. How america went haywirea 500year history, to be published in september by random house. The most ambitious of several attempts to put fake news and the trump presidency in historical perspective are fantasyland by kurt andersen and bunk by kevin young. Kurt andersen random housethomas hart shelbyappaul sancyaphoto montage by salon kurt andersen in fantasyland. How america went haywire, his extremely welltimed history of hucksterism, credulousness and questionable beliefs, he demonstrates why this is such a troubling state of affairs. Fantasyland presents the very best kind of ideaone that, in retrospect. Kurt andersens beautiful dark twisted fantasy the village. While the scope, ambition and research of andersons book is admirable. Kurt andersen is an author, radio show host, and journalist. A conversation with kurt andersen about fantasyland. Bestselling author, contributor to vanity fair and the new york times, and radio show host kurt andersen provides compelling arguments from many angles that america in essence has mutated into fantasyland and has led to the presidency of donald j.
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