Finished "American Studies" by Louis Menand today. The most pragmatic view on American cultural phenomena I have read. The comparison of Jerry Falwell to Larry Flint is perfect. And notice, it is a comparison, not a contrast. The essay on The People vs Larry Flint articulated what didn't settle well with me about the movie, which for the most part I thoroughly enjoyed. The opinion that evangelism and porn (at the Hustler variety) are two sides of the same coin rings true when viewed through the lens of demonizing sex. They both manage to do that very well.
The essay on the New Yorker was interesting but so long it made the collection feel like a collections of essays plus a dissertation on the New Yorker magazine.
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