First published 2007
Charlie LeDuff sets out across America to understand what defines the modern American man. The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter throws himself into extreme situations to find answers. He joins the wild revelry at Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert. He mounts a horse and leads a cavalry charge down the Little Bighorn River where Custer made his last stand. He infiltrates a dangerous biker gang and rides with fighters who live by their own brutal code. Each adventure brings LeDuff face to face with different versions of American masculinity. From desert partiers to historical reenactors to outlaw bikers, he encounters men searching for meaning in a changing world. LeDuff discovers that American manhood comes in many forms, but all share a common thread of restless energy and the need to prove themselves through action.
Genres: american, non-fiction, 21st-century, journalism, social, americana
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, personal-journey
Setting: America, Burning Man, Little Bighorn River, Nevada Desert
Period: 21st Century
256 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Press HC, The