Legends, Lies and Cherished Myths of American History
Just finished this book last night while I lay curled up on the couch because my third (or is it fourth?) wife had edicted that there was where I shall pass the midnight hours (for reasons too esoteric to expound upon here - not that you'd care anyway, but still . . .)
Legends, Lies and Cherished Myths of American History, by Richard Shenckman (c) 1988 William Morrow and Co. Inc, New York. 1988. (I believe I need to check my MLA Handbook for information on how to correctly site sources - it's been ages since I've been to college - and by "ages" I'm talking Industrial Age, Middle Age, Dark Age, Bronze Age . . . ) Regardless, I finished the book and fell asleep with it open on my chest, as though the book were a blanket of paper, which is one of the most fulfilling and satisfying happenings in life, and awoke with a terrible crimp in my neck.
But all that is beside the point. The book's a quick read, very bright, very pithy. What's strange, though, is that it's dated. I mean, for a history book that mainly centers around the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to seem dated was very strange for me - but you could tell that it was written during - and FOR - the Reagan era (that's the 1980's for all you history majors out there!)
How could that seem dated, you say? I can't explain, but it's true. Certainly the tone was in a very smooth style, like someone who had really done his research and was very excited about spreading around the knowledge - not truly pedantic or condescending in any way, absolutely not - the author genuinely enjoys debunking popular myths about who we think we are and from what stock of people we think we've come. And that was the main "jist" of the book, and had Shenckman been a psychologist or sociologist instead of a reporter, he probably would have droned on and on for chapter after chapter about "healing processes" and "unconscious reactionism" or some such drivel.
However, being a reporter - he just gives us the facts, and happily throws in an opinion or two along the way.
Like I said - a good read, but you can definitely tell that it ends in the 80's. Which for some reason makes it seem overly quaint.
Not that I understand what that's supposed to mean or anything, I'm just . . . well . . . hopefully I'll understand better tomorrow after I get a good night's sleep. (Keep your fingers crossed for me, wouldya?)
VG
Legends, Lies and Cherished Myths of American History, by Richard Shenckman (c) 1988 William Morrow and Co. Inc, New York. 1988. (I believe I need to check my MLA Handbook for information on how to correctly site sources - it's been ages since I've been to college - and by "ages" I'm talking Industrial Age, Middle Age, Dark Age, Bronze Age . . . ) Regardless, I finished the book and fell asleep with it open on my chest, as though the book were a blanket of paper, which is one of the most fulfilling and satisfying happenings in life, and awoke with a terrible crimp in my neck.
But all that is beside the point. The book's a quick read, very bright, very pithy. What's strange, though, is that it's dated. I mean, for a history book that mainly centers around the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to seem dated was very strange for me - but you could tell that it was written during - and FOR - the Reagan era (that's the 1980's for all you history majors out there!)
How could that seem dated, you say? I can't explain, but it's true. Certainly the tone was in a very smooth style, like someone who had really done his research and was very excited about spreading around the knowledge - not truly pedantic or condescending in any way, absolutely not - the author genuinely enjoys debunking popular myths about who we think we are and from what stock of people we think we've come. And that was the main "jist" of the book, and had Shenckman been a psychologist or sociologist instead of a reporter, he probably would have droned on and on for chapter after chapter about "healing processes" and "unconscious reactionism" or some such drivel.
However, being a reporter - he just gives us the facts, and happily throws in an opinion or two along the way.
Like I said - a good read, but you can definitely tell that it ends in the 80's. Which for some reason makes it seem overly quaint.
Not that I understand what that's supposed to mean or anything, I'm just . . . well . . . hopefully I'll understand better tomorrow after I get a good night's sleep. (Keep your fingers crossed for me, wouldya?)
VG
posted by Verble Gherulous | 6:46 AM
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