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The Middle Mind: Why Americans Don't Think for Themselves (Paperback)

by Curtis White (Author) "I've suspected for some time that there's something missing in the way we usually construct the Culture Wars ..." (more)

3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Product details

Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Allen Lane; First UK Edition edition (5 Feb 2004)
Language English
ISBN-10: 071399763X
ISBN-13: 978-0713997637
Product Dimensions: 23 x 15.2 x 2 cm

Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 852,844 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Time Out
'Invigorating, entertaining, acute and funny' --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

The Times
'Coruscating, startling...White has identified a middle-of-the-road monster clumping through our culture...he is on the money' --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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First Sentence
I've suspected for some time that there's something missing in the way we usually construct the Culture Wars. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

5 Reviews

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

3.2 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Food for thought!, 14 Feb 2004

By A Customer

This book is excellent. The argument and ideas involved get progressively better and better and I would thoroughly recommend you read it if you are remotely interested in literary theory/criticism, media or the arts. White condemns the paucity in creativity and originality of the contemporary world and does so in a fluent and concise way. This is not high brow philosophy nor is it an expletive-fuelled rant. His deconstruction of examples to prove his argument is both fascinating and extremely well crafted, and far outweighs his occasional tendency to over-emphasise his argument. Do not be misled by the "Why Americans don't think for themselves" tagline - this book is applicable to us all.

Enjoy!

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Turn off your TV and do something less boring instead, 21 Oct 2005

By	B. Remy "bezerina" (Berkshire, England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Middle Mind: Why Consumer Culture is Turning Us into the Living Dead (Paperback)

This is a good book. It's a scathing polemic about how society simply accepts the culture that is fed to it in an unquestioning and completely submissive way. We're not pushing the boundaries of culture back, or defying them. Be it music or film or art we simply don't challenge their values, or their meanings anymore.

White states that we have killed off our imaginations and prefer to consume art rather than to actually get out there and create something ourselves. It's powerful stuff. It's the kind of book that made me want to throw away the TV and buy a set of paints.

However, the book is littered with references to US culture, some of which you may know, others which you might not. If you don't then a lot of the salient points are missed. His written style is also quite difficult. It's very conversational, but this means that it doesn't always flow. Lots of asides and sarcastic inserts. This adds a certain character to the book but can be a little confusing.

Nonetheless don't let that put you off. This is a really powerful book and I have had many minor epiphanies on my journey. It doesn't preach, it is humourous, and ultimately it makes a lot of sense. White's definitely got a point - current consumer culture is turning us into the living dead.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars better than middling, 17 Nov 2006

By	Mr. M. J. Bowen "middle name : NR" (some NOT RANDOM room) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Middle Mind: Why Consumer Culture is Turning Us into the Living Dead (Paperback)

This is a good book - not least for how the author is able to allude to Adorno and other 'highbrow' critics through his conversational and engaging style. This is, perhaps, an instance of White writing in just the way that the middle mind would prohibit - shining estranging lights on the various pop culture things he discusses as opposed to taking them "as they are".

White is concerned with how reality "ossifys" when it is not "relit" by the imagination - and he sees in the round of book-talk-shows, junk cinema and worse TV a closed cultural system which precludes he very thing that makes culture culture. Namely - a stock of persepctives through which to see anew.

White considers that the war against the middle mind should superseeded the large irrelevant culture wars in the academy. Good spoiler: contains many fine Wallace Stevens pieces.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars I was unable to understand this book
I bought this book with great anticipation, having seen some very positive reviews. Indeed, as I had never previously heard of Curtis White, I must have been tipped off by someone... Read more

Published 12 months ago by T. D. Welsh

1.0 out of 5 stars Middle minded book
Why the hell anyone would want to read this drivel is beyond me. This book is perfect for middle minded people who can't escape their own middle mindedness. Read more

Published 22 months ago by Mr. A. Hunter

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