Perhaps it should be said at the outset that much in this book is not easy reading. Yet, the story unfolds as a compelling personal memoir told with empathy and balance. It's the best one yet that I've found that gathers all the factors and events that have transformed, an almost idyllic America in the 1960s to our hugely divided country today.
Beth Macy is a highly respected journalist who in Paper Girl: A Memoir Of Home And Family In A Fractured America, recounts her difficult childhood, alcoholic father and life in poverty, in Urbana, Ohio, and her continued relationship with her family and the community. As she sees the effects of de-industrialization on Urbana and its citizens she identifies the causes of its current malaise. Her analysis is well researched and accurate but always delivered with empathy and compassion as she recounts its impact on the lives of people.
The North American Free Trade deal facilitated the de-industrializing as factories fled America to other countries. Well paying jobs disappeared as the did the influence of unions. The middle class was decimated. Reagan's appointed Federal Communication Commission ended the 'fairness doctrine' in licensed electronic media which required the airing of all sides of an issue. This led to the fragmentation of news outlets which were now free to propagate any conspiracy they chose. With this change print media withered to the point the Urbana paper was a shell no longer able to report local news. Consequently, citizens of Urbana were poorly informed about their community. Public schools, once the bastion of truth and belonging, withered as charter schools syphoned off good students and home schooling eroded the schools further. In modern day Urban parents challenged about the truancy of their children removed them from school saying they are homeschooling them. College education has been priced out of the reach of vast numbers of Americans. In the 60s Macy was able to pay for college via a Pell Grant. Now, Pell Grants are a drop in the bucket for college students.
With the middle class gone Urbana is left with a wealthy remainder who have no idea the fate of the impoverished people in their community with no newspaper with local news. Not realizing the desperation of the poor they road-block any attempts to provide care and support for the disadvantaged. With ready access to unreliable sources of news they are prone to conspiracy theories that demonize the others; college educated, city people, liberals, etc. They readily believe the most preposterous slander about those who are seen as "other".
Don't take my word for it read it for yourself! It will be a best seller, it's newly published, and will be on 'Best Seller' lists for weeks. Get ahead of the curve and read it now!
Takk for alt,
Al
1 comment:
Hi Al; this is my first time on your blog; Dorothy often referred to it, so here I am, almost a year later, reading. . .lovely to see your review and recommendation, and to get a glimpse of your life.
Post a Comment