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A review by drakonreads
The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America by Daniel J. Boorstin
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Really interesting, even in 2021; my rating would be higher but there was something that kept grating on me. It gives me the "in the good old days..." vibe which for me raised some flags about bias which in turn made it hard for me to enjoy it at times (his tone even makes increased literacy sounds like it's a bad thing. Though it may be because he lumped it in with all the other technology...).
His main thesis is still relevant: pseudo-events are increasingly being created instead of the actual thing. Celebrities are celebrated for their wellknowness, while heroes are in decline*.
*see my point? Also, the "heroes" is a whole other discussion on what heroes are, and how they are just a polished version of a person's reputation; so, I have a hard time separating the two and so to me it undermines his point.
Overall, it's an informative and interesting book covering various elements of the Graphic Revolution and various technologies (books, digests, films, and so on). It was the just the "in my day" vibe that annoyed me because there are some parts where I see his bias (like the 'hero', and 'ideals' points he makes), otherwise it's a good book.
*see my point? Also, the "heroes" is a whole other discussion on what heroes are, and how they are just a polished version of a person's reputation; so, I have a hard time separating the two and so to me it undermines his point.
Overall, it's an informative and interesting book covering various elements of the Graphic Revolution and various technologies (books, digests, films, and so on). It was the just the "in my day" vibe that annoyed me because there are some parts where I see his bias (like the 'hero', and 'ideals' points he makes), otherwise it's a good book.