Somewhere in America: Under the Radar With Chicken Warriors, Left-Wing Patriots, Angry Nudists, and Others

by Mark Singer

A writer for The New Yorker introduces readers to a surreal, bizarre America, depicting the inside of a cockfighting ring, teenage reporters in a small Texas town, a meeting of obituary writers, the influence of a western Massachusetts diner on its community, and other colorful cultural dimensions of twenty-first-century America.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Travel

255 pages, Hardcover

First published June 17, 2004

Reviews

[Steve Albert]

I get what some of the other reviewers are saying about how they wanted more. A few of the stories do feel like they were written essay style and edited inverted pyramid style. But the writing itself is enjoyable. In the intro Singer states he didn't want to just hold up people and say 'stare at this weirdo,' but rather he was looking to show how people are shaped by their environments and vice versa. I thought it worked.

[Ginger]

so it's not faulkner... but it's a nice light reading, books of regional vignettes... think of a literary episode of "all things considered"...

[Cathy]

You learn a lot about America by reading non-fiction pieces from around the country. This is a great example of local flavor.

[Michele]

Collection of essays on American subcultures; presents the stories behind the headlines.

[Megan]

Each chapter read as its own story, some better than others. A quick read - though not much gained.

[Andy]

This is a nice collection of some fun and some heartbreaking stories. A nice change of pace, read a 15 page story here and there, kind of collection.

[Veronica]

What a wasted opportunity. The writer finds himself in all those interesting settings and situations, but has almost nothing interesting to say about any of them.

[Sidd]

The hidden America. The non-mainstream America. The off-radar America.

[Carlene]

Enjoyed this collection of stories of America behind the headlines-some more than others.