American Unreason

The book that I am reading is called The Age of American Unreason, by Susan Jacoby. At first I was a little hesitant in making this my choice because it is more talk about the way people, specifically Americans in this case, perceive certain matters, but it also seemed very interesting to me. I have not gotten that far in this book; however, I do not regret my choice. The book discusses how America now possesses the qualities of ignorance, anti-rationalism, and anti-intellectualism. So far, in the pages which I have read, Jacoby provides many examples on how speech is affecting us. I enjoy the fact that she uses much factual evidence to support her assumptions. Much of her quotes up to this point I find to be very reasonable, relatable, and at times quite humorous. For example, I read a paragraph about a conversation in Alice in Wonderland between Alice and the Mad Hatter, in which Jacoby was trying to convey the message that people spread a virus of “half-witted language” and take in what they see. The Mad Hatter tells Alice to say what she means, only to have her reply that she means what she says. He retorts, “Why, you might just as well say that ‘I see what I eat’ is the same thing as ‘I eat what I see’!” It is easy to understand what she is trying to get across to the reader because of her ability to explain issues thoroughly. It is a good read so far, as that is all I am able to say because I am not that far into it. I am positive I will end up loving this novel and taking in a lot because it has already grabbed my attention and dedication. I am also inclined to continue reading through Jacoby’s perspectives and learn more for myself. What I have taken out of the novel are clever ideas that I have never thought of before, and I often come along a line that inspires me. I recommend this book to those who are in for something challenging, clever, and humorous.