James M Fallows Książki

"The freer we are … the stronger we are," writes David Halberstam in this probing compilation of original essays which distill the essence of America, an evergreen subject rendered even more timely by recent world events that highlight cultural clashes and prompt us not just to reconsider foreign attitudes and aspirations but to think anew about our own.Each chapter explores fundamental qualities, concepts and accomplishments that shape the American the sheer size of our country; the legendary events of our history; the heroes, villains, and icons of our national mythology; our enduring dream of a meritocratic society; and the unmistakable spirit that defines us both to ourselves and the rest of the world. Halberstam's keen observations introduce richly varied contributions by distinguished and eloquent commentators like Russell Baker, Ben Bradlee, James Fallows, Cynthia Gorney, Vartan Gregorian, and Janet Maslin, among others, who consider everything from Manifest Destiny to the McCarthy hearings and from Paul Revere's midnight gallop to John Wayne's classic cowboy riding tall through the American Century. Inspiring, enlightening, and enhanced by more than 300 photographs and illustrations, this wide-ranging collection provides thought-provoking, often surprising insights into how today's America took shape, who we are as a nation now, and where our country is headed.From the Trade Paperback edition.

At last a persuasive explanation of what's gone wrong with the American media--& what can be done about it. Fallows details the ways in which the current style of news coverage engenders a sense of futility in the American public about our ability to influence our society. He reveals how the reigning practices evolved & whose interests are served. Introduction Why we hate the media What changed The gravy train Bad attitude Getting in the way News and democracy Epilogue Notes Acknowledgments

"A unique, revelatory portrait of small-town America: the activities, changes, and events that shape this mostly unseen part of our national landscape, and the issues and concerns that matter to the ordinary Americans who make these towns their home. For the last five years, James and Deborah Fallows have been traveling across America in a single-prop airplane, visiting small cities and meeting civic leaders, factory workers, recent immigrants, and young entrepreneurs, seeking to take the pulse and discern the outlook of an America that is unreported and unobserved by the national media. Attending town meetings, breakfasts at local coffee shops, and events at local libraries, they have listened to the challenges and problems that define American lives today. 'Our Towns' is the story of their journey--an account of their visits to twenty-one cities and towns: the individuals they met, the stories they heard, and their portrait of the many different faces of the American future"--