Customer Reviews

Americana: Dispatches from the New Frontier

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
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2 star:		(1)
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As a newspaper columnist for The Register-Guard in Eugene, Ore., I loath the well-written but poorly reported essay. That's why I'm so anxious to endorse Sides' "Americana," which is, to be blunt, the best collection of essays on beyond-the-press-conference America I've ever read. Sides is not only a master of language - "they survey the scene with frozen smiles, like old-time Kremlin leaders on a reviewing stand" - but an observer extraordinaire. What makes his pieces shine is his incredible attention to detail, his not only seeing the aging band Steppenwolf at the Harley gathering, but REALLY seeing them: "haggard dinosaurs with tubercular-blue skin, their scaly forms mailed in black leather." From bikers to Tupperware women, from skate boarders to national spelling bees, Sides shows us an America that you won't always find on prime time. And does so with an open mind, an insatiable curiosity and a keen wit. But what places the book at the forefront of such collections is two last-chapter essays - "Point of Impact," about 9/11 and "First," about the war in Iraq. Sides' humor is delicious, but when he gets serious, as he does for these two pieces, he can tell a gripping story like few other American writers. If you want to better understand Americans - and treat yourself to uncommonly great writing in the process - "Americana" is for you.

These are magazine stories, mostly from Outside magazine and mostly enjoyable and well crafted. His best by far is "Point of Impact," about 9/11. Hair-raising, heart-breaking and impossible to forget, for better or worse. Had to put this one down a couple of times. Overwhelmed, grossed out, choked up. It would not be a bad idea to read it on every anniversary. "First," about the war in Iraq, is also memorable. An early article, "Murder in Falkner," gets under your skin, too. It would be a decent read without these, so it adds up to a better than average collection.

Americana by Hampton Sides is easy to read and interesting. The volume is composed of 30 short, non-fiction, people pieces. Each article offers a snippet of the kaleidoscope of the American character. Sides has a talent at choosing intriguing topics. Some of the topics are satirical, but, not with malice. Sides seems to attempt to bring understanding to each of the pieces by including lots of interesting facts. One piece, for example, on spelling bees and modern spelling contests includes a whole host of information on why the English language presents such spelling difficulties, and why English English and American English have evolved differently.

Some of the topics are of a more realistic bent. One, on the first American death in the second Iraq war and another portraying the impact of the 9/11 - Twin Towers collapse on several individuals are some of the best prose pieces I have read. For just plain writing fun and humor, two of my favorite pieces characterize the annual "Hog" motorcycle conflagration at Sturgis, South Dakota; and Biosphere 2 in Arizona, at the two-year exit. Taken in aggregate these diverse glimpses of America portray the individualism of America. Sides choses two words to integrate these individual stories of American character: confidence and openness.

Read this book. I think you will enjoy it.

Great start to this collection of essays... "What is an American?" Most of these essays are very interesting reading... a few are just a bit slow. I've used the essay on Bass fishing in my HS English classes to highlight "good writing." My students have enjoyed scoring his work with the six traits... great writer!

This is the third book by Hampton Sides I have read. I absolutly loved it!

Indepth insights into American subcultures, personalities, locations and events conveyed in masterful color and detail. Humor, pathos, irony, Sides elicits the full gamut of emotions. From the first page to the last, pure genius.

Sides has become my favorite author. Can't wait for his next book.

Hampton Sides is an excellent writer and story teller. He also is very good with widely divergent topics as witnessed by his excellent "Ghost Soldiers" and "Blood and Thunder". In this book, "Americana", Sides the magazine reporter offers a compelling collection of stories that display some of the wide and ranging interests that define America in our day.

The reader will ride the Iditarod Trail and skateboards in two of the essays - the first exploring a celebration of the last frontier in America and the latter the phenomenon of Tony Hawk.

Readers will also explore the national spelling bee, the earth travelers who inhabited Biosphere (remember that?), Pentecostal worshipers and more somber topics like 9-11 survivors and a Marine hero killed in Iraq.

Bass fishing, a secret conclave of powerful men who meet in the woods and the Sturgis Harley-Davidson meet up are delved into along with numerous other pictures of "Americana."

Although this book is unlike Ghost Soldiers or Blood and Thunder in that it is a collection of discreet portraits and not a single story, the essays are fascinating and Sides handles them well. Some of those covered will strike readers as "off their rockers" but the author never belittles nor humiliates those who people his writings. He just tells well-crafted stories and gives the characters time and space to reveal their passion and interest in the topic at hand. Sides is an excellent storyteller and anyone interested in delving into some of the edges of this nation will appreciate his collection.

I loved Hampton Side's Ghost Soldiers, so had to read this one. He does a great job highlighting the "off the beaten path" America. Really enjoyed it.

Written over a space of time, these stories are collected from Hampton's travel across america and what the things are that make this country culturally, for better or worse.
Hampton Sides has the ability to tell a story, like David Halberstam, and that is the largest compliment I can give.
Well worth the read. Some are heartfelt, some make you laugh, depending on where you're from.

Skateboarder? Why would I even be interested in a skateboarder? Yet Sides writes it so well, I couldn't put it down!

I read with anticipation his meeting Gordon Liddy but Liddy doesn't show up until the end for just a small bit. Yet getting there was so much fun! And I am not even interested in Liddy.

I love having this book on my Kindle. I know I can 'open it up' anytime and find a great short story to read.

Hampton Sides - keep 'em coming!

After reading "Ghost Soldiers" I found "Americana" to be disappointing.

"Americana" is a collection of unrelated magazine articles, and they seem to have been written to accompany the photos of the magazine, instead of standing on their own. Some of the characters Sides writes about are interesting, but there's not much drama to the essays.

Sides is an outstanding writer, as he proved with "Ghost Soldiers" -- a captivating and amazing story that was hard to put down. But be cautioned: "Americana" takes effort to get through!