Customer Reviews

Boom Town: How Wal-Mart Transformed an All-American Town Into an International Community

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The stereotypes she references in this book don't quite pan out. Instead, we only have her stereotypes and cliches about small town people. It seems to have been intended to be a book about the lenses people view each other with. The main lens, though, that seems play protagonist here is the writer's own. There are many better books on diversity than this one. Books that don't paint an unrealistic caricature of people. I wouldn't say, though, that everyone will dislike this. Many people like the cliches and simple descriptions of groups and their culture and behaviors. This book delivers that with excellent prose.

I loved this book. I picked it up on a whim, and was surprised not only to learn about what a good citizen Wal-Mart is to its home town of Bentonville, but also to find out about the diverse groups that are making their homes in the area and really working to get along. I especially loved the story of the Palestinian builder who got his first break from a Wal-Mart manager 20 years ago, made a bundle, and today is working with local Jews to build a synagogue and charging only the cost of labor. This is a really great read for anyone who cares about that melting pot called America.

I commend author for addressing a worthy topic. Alas, her anti gentilic attitude destroys her credibility.