About this title: The author of Class has created a satirical reference work that excoriates those things in modern life that are promoted as simply wonderful but are, in fact, BAD. Paul Fussell writes that we are living "in a moment teeming with raucously overvalued emptiness and trash". BAD is devoted to identifying examples of the phony or witless that public relations attempts to persuade us are genuine or grand.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Fine. Almost in new condition. Book shows only very slight signs of use. Cover and binding are undamaged and pages show minimal use. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Acceptable. Former Library book. Binding is slightly damaged and/or book has some loose pages. No missing pages. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Fussell, Paul., Summit Books, 1991, c1991, 1st Edition, boards & cloth (hard cover), very small amount of underlining in text o/w vg++ with near fine dj, 201 pp, 8vo, ISBN: 0671676520, "Zeroes in on the death of American sensibility and taste" read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Summit Books
Date Published: 1991-10
ISBN-13:9780671676520ISBN:0671676520
Description: Good. Binding is tight and square. Text is clean, bright and unmarked. No names, no marks, no stickers. No DJ. Cover is VG. Corners and edges slightly rubbed and bumped. Back pages a little bent. Careful packaging and fast shipping. We recommend EXPEDITED MAIL for even faster delivery! read more
Description: NEW YORK SUMMIT BOOKS 1991 201pp DUST JACKET HARDCOVER, YELLOW PAPER BOARDS QUARTER-BOUND IN DARK-BLUE CLOTH WITH GOLD TITLES ON SPINE. 1ST EDITION REMAINDER MARK ON LOWER EDGE NF/F. read more
Edition: First edition. FIRST EDITION/FIRST PRINTING.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Summit Books, New York
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780671676520ISBN:0671676520
Description: Fine in very good dust jacket. Price clipped. Sewn binding. Yellow paper over boards with black spine and gold lettering. Audience: General/trade. Great mint condition book in clipped but otherwise fine dust jacket. read more
Edition: First Printing (by the Numbers)
Binding: Hardbound
Publisher: Pocket Books, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780671676520ISBN:0671676520
Description: Good Plus in Good Plus jacket. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. Yellow and blue binding with gold lettering, 201 pages, slight edge rubbing; jacket is clean, slight edge wear. read more
"Paul Fussell is a critic and english professor who has an acerbic and keen eye for the absurd, the contentious and the meaningful. This is a screed against modernity and a funny, witty and perceptive one."
"Fussell's definition of BAD (as opposed to just plain bad) is, "something phony, clumsy, witless, untalented, vacant, or boring that many Americans can be persuaded is genuine, graceful, bright, or fascinating." And, oh boy, is there a truckload of BAD in this country! Fussell covers everything from movies to books to restaurants and more. The entire chapter on BAD conversation should be sent en masse to everyone in this country.
On television: "Although now and then it tries to cover its shame and put on airs, television is a grossly proletarian medium, efficient at merchandising denture cleaners and incontinence diapers, beer, laxatives, cars and laundry supplies, but death to books, ideas, the sense of history and the complexities, subtleties and ironies of civilized discourse." Yep, that sounds terribly accurate.
Other great quotes...
Quoting Vladimir Nabokov: "Intellectuals do not join groups."
On BAD restaurant menus (but entirely applicable to nearly everything in this country): "These pander to the sacred American conviction that vast "choice" among the third-rate is superior to limited choice among the good."
"America's main contribution to the world is BAD. It is the thing we are best at."
"The United States especially overflows with it because of all countries it is the most addicted to self-praise and complacency - even more than France."
Fussell bears a certain resemblance to Fred Willard, which had me hearing Willard's voice reading the text in my head. If this were a book on tape, Willard would be the perfect choice to read it.
Laugh out loud funny and incredibly poignant, BAD: The Dumbing Of America is the most satisfying read I've had in a long time. It's nice to find someone who shares your attitudes and opinions but this book, to me, is a gold mine of awesome. I have a new hero and his name is Paul Fussell."
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