State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America
Ratings2
Average rating3.5
The editors of The Thinking Fan's Guide to the World Cup collects original writings on all fifty states by leading novelists, journalists, and essayists, in a volume that includes such examples as Anthony Bourdain on New Jersey, Dave Eggers on Illinois, and Louise Erdrich on North Dakota.
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I wish the editors had a few less hipsters and a few more natives write the chapters. Tennessee ended up being my favorite, Ohio was pretty accurate too.
An interesting idea that results in a fun but somewhat uneven book. With 50 different contributors, I think that's to be expected as the shifts in style will result in a few that move you, a few that make you laugh, a few that really educate you, and a couple that leave you cold. I picked this one up for [a:Sarah Vowell 2122 Sarah Vowell http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1206507108p2/2122.jpg]'s essay on Montana, [a:Anthony Bourdain 1124 Anthony Bourdain http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1205261109p2/1124.jpg]'s essay on New Jersey, and [a:Jack Hitt 73813 Jack Hitt http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s look at South Carolina. Along the way I've also found interesting looks at Vermont, Colorado, the Dakotas, and Wyoming. And while I have enjoyed it, it's tough for me to give it any more than a three-star rating as it's not a book that I can read for long periods of time. It's great for reading in bits and pieces.