On Paradise Drive

I wasn't sure I would like this book, so I was pleasantly surprised that I did in fact enjoy it. Written by conservative writer David Brooks, this book's mission is to explore America as it is today. Now, I was kind of expecting this to result in a bit of bashing of those Americans who live on the coasts in favor of the life in the center, and there is a bit of that, but it's mostly satirical joshing and Brooks mocks the more "heartland" types just as much.

No, most of what Brooks writes about in this book is what makes America stand apart from other nations, and what he comes up with is interesting, to say the least. America is a country driven by hope, that if you work really hard you'll achieve your goals. Brooks also doesn't shy away from the dark side of that statement: Americans can also overwork ourselves, be narrowmindedly fixed on some minute detail that doesn't actually matter, or rationalize unfairness in the system.

As well as being a thought provoking book, it's a funny one. The first chapter has Brooks taking a road trip from the hipster inner city to the sprawling exurbs, stopping along the way to tease every neighborhood he encounters. Doing this also exposes the great variety of ways of life of people throughout America, seeing what we have in common and where we differ.

All in all, I really liked this book. I wasn't expecting that from a book by a conservative writer, but I think Brooks is more interested in exploring his subject than drawing any conclusion from it. I'd suggest reading it if you have any interest in thinking about the American experience.