Empire of Illusion / Chris Hedges / 240 pp.

Nonfiction

Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle discusses style trumping substance in American Culture. Despite the title, this book does not look at the decline of reading or literacy rates, but at the rise of people’s demands for entertainment-value in general. I found this book to be a surprising mixture of conservative and liberal views. Even if one does not agree with everything in the book, it is an interesting read and sure to prompt discussion and debate. I would recommend this book with the caveat that it contains explicit content.

Chapters and some of their key topics:

1. The Illusion of Literacy (professional wrestling/entertainment)
2. The Illusion of Love (pornography/violence)
3. The Illusion of Wisdom (higher education/entitlement)
4. The Illusion of Happiness (positive thinking/workplaces)
5. The Illusion of America (politics/capitalist system/corruption)

Links for this book: Amazon, MERLIN
note: This book was finished in November.