Americana

April 1, 2004
This is a collection of 30 pieces written over 15 years by Sides, editor at large for Outside magazine and the best-selling author of Ghost Soldiers. As the title indicates, the contents chronicle a variety of times and places that for the author paint a portrait of what Americans are all about. Each piece is detailed and absorbing, from a fascinating account of breaking into an exclusive male retreat to the moving description of the death of an American marine in Iraq. What differentiates Sides from other writers is his intelligent, witty tone and well-crafted mix of appropriate dialog, historic research, and personal observation. In his account of breaking into Bohemian Grove, for example, Sides explains the history of this Republican stronghold, both written and in legend. He also describes his initial unsuccessful attempts, including a reconnaissance mission by canoe. With extensive publicity and an author tour to major centers, this book will be in demand at public libraries, and it will be enjoyed by many readers.-Alison Hopkins, Brantford P.L., Ont.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2004
With an admitted lack of certainty about what America "means," Sides nonetheless has amassed a collection of articles and essays that capture the country's elusive qualities, noting that America, supremely confident, has run out of geographical space and is now venturing into new social frontiers. In the collection of 30 stories, Sides illustrates the amazing breadth and depth of American preoccupations and idiosyncrasies. He gate-crashes the ultra-exclusive, conservative Bohemian Grove resort in California and then chronicles a rafting party for the human-engineered flooding of the Grand Canyon, the reentry ceremony for Biosphere 2 in Arizona, and the anything-goes weekends in the California desert. He profiles an array of individuals, from Native American radical Russell Means to extreme skateboarder Tony Hawk. In a section on post-9/11 America, Sides profiles three survivors of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and explains his decision not to embed himself as a journalist in Iraq. With an eye for detail and the absurd, Sides, author of the highly acclaimed " Ghost Soldiers" (2001), presents a vivid portrait of the restlessness and inventiveness of Americans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)