One Nation, After All : What Americans Really Think About God, Country, Family, Racism, Welfare, Immigration, Homosexuality, Work, The Right, The Left and Each Other (Paperback)

by Alan Wolfe (Author)
Key Phrases: moral squeeze, mature patriotism, morality writ, Sand Springs, United States, Broken Arrow (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Few academics write as crisply as the sociologist Alan Wolfe, and even fewer are capable of making the penetrating insights that sprinkle the pages of this engaging study of suburban psychology. Based on 200 extensive interviews with middle-class Americans, Wolfe's study uncovers a striking tolerance. Americans, according to the author, can be quite harsh when judging their own behavior, but they exhibit a hands-off approach with others. (Wolfe also cites an exception to this rule: homosexuality.) Americans are not torn apart by any kind of cultural war, contrary to the claims of intellectuals on both the right and left. Instead, writes Wolfe, they are a practical people willing to accept social change. Forget the shallow opinion polls that appear every few days in the news. One Nation, After All comes closer to the real pulse of the American people than just about any other you will find. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
The nation is divided between the pro-welfare, pro-choice Left and the pro-family, anti-Left Right, right? Wrong, says sociologist Wolfe, who argues that Americans agree on most issues.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014027572X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140275728
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #800,587 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hard to Read? Yes...but worth it, June 5, 2001

By	Ed Tracey (Lebanon, New Hampshire) - See all my reviews

I agree with Denise's review that this book offers hope more than anything else. It is rather academic, and does make you want to put it down.

Nonetheless, in a world where TV commentators routinely portray Americans as "us and them" based on, say, their presidential vote, it is refreshing to read of alternative views. We are more similar than dissimilar - it just won't make for an electrifying show on "Crossfire" or "Hardball".

Professor Wolfe does have some unifying themese throughout the book, which does raise this from 3 to 4 stars in my view. Without them, it's not an easy read.

In fact, I'd recommend printing a condensed version of this. Say, a NY Times Sunday Magazine-length story or even a Reader's Digest one. The story it tells is that important.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thorough insight into middle class america, October 22, 2001

By A Customer

I had to read this book for my introductory Sociology class, and did so purely out of requirement. However, what I found was that I actually liked the book. It was excellently written and the research behind it was sound. It offers a glimpse into the American middle class that is both interesting and important. I look forward to reading more books by Alan Wolfe.

9 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Comforting Piece of Social Research, January 24, 2000

By	Susan Denise Offutt (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One Nation After All is an excellent analysis for a fascinationg social research project focusing on the American Middle Class.

The study and subsequent analysis is a well thought out, detailed work packed with citations and comparisons.

As an added plus, the study shows that overall, the American Middle Class is basically a tolerant, reasonable group of people who prefer NOT to tell others how to live their lives.

For the uninitiated, research papers are writtin in the passive voice! This may require some adjustment on the part of the reader.