American Voyeur: Dispatches from the Far Reaches of Modern Life

Denizet-Lewis, Benoit. "American Voyeur: Dispatches from the Far Reaches of Modern Life", Simon and Schuster, 2010. This is America Amos Lassen Reality shows have taken over television and now the literary world has caught up with the reality book. Benoit Denizet-Lewis takes a look at the America that few of us ever get to see. Using journalistic and sociological tools, he gives us sixteen essays that focus on topics such as sex, youth culture, gay life, sexual identity, religion, death and he immerses us in the culture of this country. He writes with humor and intelligence and tells it like it is. He is obviously involved with the subjects that he writes about and this is a fascinating read. He is definitely perceptive as we go into areas of American that few have entered. I love the investigation of down low behavior among African American males and the piece on NAMBLA was very, very well written and interesting. He looks at young gay married couples in Massachusetts and the sexual and social practices of young teens. He engages us with his prose and stuns us with what he finds and I found myself saying--"really? I didn't know that". I was caught up ion the book on the first page and as I went with the author to places that few of us would be welcomed in, I found myself reading and enjoying. There is a great deal of new information here and material for entire volumes on the subjects he brings up. If you are looking for something to wake you up and pull you in, this is just the book.

Mr. Denizet-Lewis drew me into his "immersion journalism" through his book America Anonymous. I was hooked from the word go. American Voyeur takes us on a journey where we'd be hard pressed to find ourselves welcome in. And perhaps, one we would fail to learn from because of our own judgments or prejudices. The writing style reminds me of oral narrators. I can see Mr. Denizet-Lewis sitting down and telling these stories. The character developments are intriguing and the tales themselves are heartbreaking and brilliant. My only suggestion? I'd love to see entire books devoted to these people. They are small glimpses that leave one wanting more.