Mall of America: Reflections of a Virtual Community [Paperback]

Eric Nelson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1998 | ISBN-10: 1880090589 | ISBN-13: 978-1880090589 | Edition: 1

The Mall of America annually draws more visitors than Disney World, Graceland, and the Grand Canyon combined. It is itself a comment on the culture that created it. St. Olaf College professor Eric Nelson explores the attraction of this glitzy city-within-a-city with a wry humor, holding it up as a mirror that reflects American morals and cultural values.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This book is an odd combination of history, sociology, and memoir. Author Eric Nelson recounts his vertigo at the opening of Mall of America, the greatest tourist attraction in the United States, and uses this as an opportunity to create a dialogue with all things American. Stories from Indian casino workers, Jerry Siegel's recollections of creating Superman, the odd goings-on at a wedding that took place inside the mall, and more come together to create a truly unusual literary venture. Nelson uses the mall as a geographical and economic locus to tell the story of how the U.S. came to be the consumer-friendly pseudo-world that it is today. --James DiGiovanna

About the Author

Eric Nelson has spoken about the human and social aspects of the Mall of America at national seminars and conferences and with groups as diverse as French architects and engineers, college students, and senior citizens from every part of the U.S. He teaches in the English department of St. Olaf College.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Galde Press, Inc.; 1 edition (February 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880090589
• ISBN-13: 978-1880090589
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,014 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining, analytical look at the Mega-mall, June 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mall of America: Reflections of a Virtual Community (Paperback)

It's not often that a piece of nonfiction sets me to pondering at the same time it entertains and instructs, but that's the nature of this wondrous book on Minnesota's mall of malls. Eric Nelson is a magician here, conjuring up surprises -- sparkling background tidbits connected tightly or loosely to this giant shopping community -- before our very eyes. Carefully researched, thoughtfully linked to issues important to our consumerist culture, sprinkled with astute sketches of people who spend or make their money at the mall, this book helps make sense of why this overwhelming midwestern biosphere became an overwhelming success.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An engaging cultural guide to the Mall of America, June 11, 1999

By 

Mary E. Steen (Northfield, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mall of America: Reflections of a Virtual Community (Paperback)

This book is more than a description of the Mall of America, more than an analysis of economics or a sociological treatise. It's all of these, with excursions into history, philosophy, and theology; interviews with people both "normal" and quirky; and amusing nuggets of observation about things as diverse as superheroes and buying clothing for your wife.

For example, one chapter, "The Whirlwind," begins with quotes from Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Book of Job. It moves through our attempts to control the weather (knots tied by Shetland Island fishermen, the Weather Modification Advisory Board), and touches on both George Washington and the Donner Party, arriving finally at Minnesota weather and the reason for Malls. The chapter ends with the story of the eccentric entrepreneur behind the Rainforest Cafe: "For the time being, Steve Schussler, who studied Darwin in the school of hard knocks, has found a niche in its neon jungle."

On a trip to the Mall with Eric Nelson be prepared for unexpected encounters and surprising insights. You'll return home entertained and satisfied.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What you never thought a mall would offer - wisdom!, April 29, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mall of America: Reflections of a Virtual Community (Paperback)

We're all part of one big happy consumer family - but as with most families, it's usually hard to figure out what's going on. This savvy book about the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., the biggest of 'em all, takes a sharp look at how consumerism on a grand scale functions, and how we are all sucked into it one way or another. Whether he's casting a whimsical look at an icon like Snoopy, observing a day in a mall-style classroom, joining in a therapeutic shopping trip with a group of suburban women, or wittily cataloging the sensory overload of it all, Eric Nelson is a great consumer family counselor. You'll never go to a mall again without noticing new details of the strange and wonderful shopping binge we are all on. It's a fun read, and a wise one.