First published 2009
French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy embarks on a cross-country journey to understand America's contradictions. He encounters the nation's starkest contrasts, from Hollywood's glittering elite to forgotten communities on society's margins. His travels bring him face to face with film stars like Woody Allen and Sharon Stone, revealing the celebrity culture that shapes American dreams. Lévy documents conversations with ordinary citizens alongside cultural icons, mapping the vast distances between wealth and poverty, fame and anonymity, hope and despair. Through these encounters, he builds a portrait of a country defined by its extremes, where success and failure exist in sharp relief against each other.
Genres: american, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, cultural-studies
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, social-commentary
Setting: America, Hollywood
Period: 21st-Century
384 pages · Paperback · Gibson Square Books