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Chris Hedges

Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle Hardcover – July 14, 2009

by Chris Hedges (Author)

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We now live in two Americas. One—now the minority—functions in a print-based, literate world that can cope with complexity and can separate illusion from truth. The other—the majority—is retreating from a reality-based world into one of false certainty and magic. To this majority—which crosses social class lines, though the poor are overwhelmingly affected—presidential debate and political rhetoric is pitched at a sixth-grade reading level. In this “other America, serious film and theater, as well as newspapers and books, are being pushed to the margins of society.In the tradition of Christopher Laschs The Culture of Narcissism and Neil Postmans Amusing Ourselves to Death, Pulitzer Prize-winner Chris Hedges navigates this culture—attending WWF contests, the Adult Video News Awards in Las Vegas, and Ivy League graduation ceremonies—to expose an age of terrifying decline and heightened self-delusion.

Print length

232 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Nation Books
Publication date

July 14, 2009
Grade level

11 and up
Reading age

13 years and up
Dimensions

5.75 x 1 x 8.5 inches
ISBN-10

1568584377
ISBN-13

978-1568584379
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Chris Hedges is a fellow of The Nation Institute. He spent nearly two decades as a foreign correspondent in Central America, the Middle East, Africa, and the Balkans, with fifteen years at the New York Times. He is the author of the best-selling War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning and American Fascists. He currently writes for numerous publications, including Harper's, The New York Review of Books, Granta, and Mother Jones. A columnist for Truthdig, he lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Nation Books; 1st edition (July 14, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 232 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1568584377
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1568584379
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 11 and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 1 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #499,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #26,201 in Politics & Government (Books)
- #36,838 in Social Sciences (Books)

Customer Reviews:
735 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		72%
4 star		16%
3 star		7%
2 star		2%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Richard Joltes

An excellent and sobering view at the decline of reason and literacy in modern society

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2016

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This is an absolutely superb work that documents how our society has been subverted by spectacle, glitz, celebrity, and the obsession with "fame" at the expense of reality, literacy, reason, and actual ability. Hedges lays it all out in a very clear and thought provoking style, using real world examples like pro wrestling and celebrity oriented programming to showcase how severely our society has declined from a forward thinking, literate one into a mass of tribes obsessed with stardom and money.

Even better is that the author's style is approachable and non judgemental. This isn't an academic talking down to the masses, but a very solid reporter presenting findings in an accurate, logical style.

Every American should read this, and then consider whether to buy that glossy celebrity oriented magazine or watch that "I want to be a millionaire" show. The lifestyle and choices being promoted by the media, credit card companies, and by the celebrity culture in general, are toxic and a danger to our society's future.

99 people found this helpful

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Eric Robertson

Clarity. Substance. Reality. No Illusions left standing. LOVED IT.

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2017

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LOVED IT. The cons: It's definitely time-critical, so this book will age as the current events fade into history (writing this after Trump's inauguration and he keeps referencing an Obama presidency). He takes a very dark view of the realities behind the illusions he discusses (don't expect to walk away feeling great about yourself or the world you live in). Diagnosis is 100% accurate, but I will have to look elsewhere for the treatment regimen for what ails me, and in that sense he was probably wise to leave it where he left it. This is part of why it took me so long to get through. The Pros: He is SPOT ON. Clear, concise, convicting delineation of our human sphere and condition. Runs down the root causes of our problems well, skewers those in power or complicit in their power structure mercilessly. I've already got $500 of "must read" books in my Amazon que from his quotes and mentions. Took me about 4 months to get through this and truly absorb it, but I'm different because of this book. LOVED IT.

62 people found this helpful

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R. Ben Madison

Hedges Prophesied Trump.

Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2017

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This book was written seven years before the rise of Donald Trump. If you want to understand him, and the culture that produced him, please read this book from cover to cover.

61 people found this helpful

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AmazonShopper

Very disappointed

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2021

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Not having been born in this country I often find myself puzzling over some of the things that we find in modern American society and politics. Having studied history I worry that this country is in an unstoppable decline that will lead to its end, just like many great countries before. Naturally I was very attracted to the premise this book. I could not make through chapter 3. The first chapter goes on and on about professional wrestling to explain our country's lack of education. I didn't mind it but the point was made early on and the additional descriptions of varies aspects of professional wrestling, while unfamiliar to me, got boring and repetitive and did not add to the point any longer. The second chapter, titled "Love", is all about pornography. Warning: This is GRAPHIC. I don't consider myself a prude, but this was at times unbearable and I had to start skipping. And again, like in chapter 1, titled "Literacy", this just went on and on, with too many repetitive and hard to digest examples of how abhorrent the porn industry is. The point was taken early on and I kept wishing the author would just move on to another example or another subject. In chapter three, "Wisdom", he starts discussing politics and I must say I got lost and couldn't figure out where it was going. I might pick up the book again as I believe I got through the worst of it. I felt compelled to write this review to warn potential readers of the dreadful and cringe worthy descriptions of the wrestling and pornography. It just seemed so unnecessary and caused me to wonder if there was another insight in the future, but alas, there was not.

6 people found this helpful

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Abner RosenweigTop Contributor: Writing

Take off the blinders

Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2015

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There are many astute critics of America. Perhaps none is more eloquent than Chris Hedges. With lucidity, literacy, and a brilliant ability to depict our struggles in dramatic prose and metaphor, Hedges provides a comprehensive view of our collective emergency and sounds a shrill alarm: the pervasive moral decay of our ruling elite has finally caught up with us, and the entire house of cards is crashing down. It's not a pleasant diagnosis, but it's a reality more and more citizens need to confront. It's helpful to become familiar with how we came to this abysmal point, the forces that continue to drive us deeper into chaos, and where things might be headed. It's a helpful antidote to the illusion that keeps so many of us shackled in a passive, blissful state of ignorance. Breaking free from illusion will not solve our problems, but it's a good first step. That there hasn't been greater dismay at the content in this book only reveals the profound moral bankruptcy of the country--and the power of our persistent illusions.

29 people found this helpful

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Houston Guy

I could just as easily be a total loon and not have a dad ...

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2016

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I typically don't write book reviews because for it to have any value, I would have to provide my resume. I could just as easily be a total loon and not have a dad gum clue. While I am not that bad, I am a college educated professional who have spent close to 3 decades working in the industry of my study. With regard to Empire of Illusion, there are reasons why the focus of America's attention seems to be on Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump. How is it possible to plunder a schoolteacher's retirement account and not end up standing in front a firing squad. ? America is rotting from the inside out. What is worse, it that this rotting was designed and engineered to distract attention from the efforts of plutocrats. Anytime you see racial strife between crowds of poor people, you should know you are watching a successful campaign by plutocrats who don't give a s*** about poor people. race ? color? means nothing. We are being dumbed down to those rock throwing 20 year olds in gaza, with their 60% unemployment.
That desert is coming also. This is one of the 5 greatest books I have ever read and I will be forever changed by it..

49 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Frits Hoen

Impressive analysis

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2019

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Avoid if you react badly to reality. Hedges does not mince words. All Americans should not read unless they have a real shot at changing the entire U.S. government structure, U.S. media imdustry and world public opinion. Otherwise you may get depressed - sorry, you probably already are according to this book.

6 people found this helpful

Brad Wagner

A Must-Read for all human beings.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 13, 2020

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A superb and unbiased view of whats really been shaping America for the last 40+ years. Honest, evidential, factual, harrowing, saddening, empowering, emotional and revealing. I rarely feel changed by a book, but I can say that about this one. Will we really be able to change the world and arrest the damage already inflicted over so many decades? I hope so.

5 people found this helpful

Tareq

Heady rant with glimpses of insight into the American soul

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 30, 2015

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This was a good read but one where you may agree with absolutely everything and say 'yes isn't it awful' or agree with none of it and be tempted to throw the book out of the window.

Let down a little by the relentless style it is nevertheless a breathtakingly journey through the underbelly of a giant.

The problem I have with most diatribes against the current power systems is that I agree with the analysis of the issues but no the solution. Here we aren't really given a list of solutions but rather the basic challenge to educate ourselves and pierce through the illusory nature of this world. No easy task.

9 people found this helpful

digimon

A stark warning of now

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 15, 2018

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Written almost 10 years ago, it all seems so prescient. America caught in the clutches of rampant corporatism with a demagogue in power. Scary times - a must read

4 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Fantastic!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2016

Verified Purchase

You know that feeling where you read something in a book and it makes sense of something you've always known but couldn't put your finger on? Or ties together ideas that you never knew were related? Hedges does that once every couple of pages. Written in an accessible way without talking down to the reader or glossing over points.

If I have one criticism it's that the book sometimes jumps around between topics without any clear relation to each other.

5 people found this helpful

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Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle Hardcover – July 14, 2009

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