An adventurous exploration of the "I" in American culture, by the
author of Neck Deep and Other Predicaments
Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me.
In contemporary America, land of tell-all memoirs and endless reality
television, what kind of person denies the opportunity to present
himself in his own voice, to lead with "I"? How many layers of a life
can be peeled back before the self vanishes?
In this provocative, witty series of meditations, Ander Monson faces
down the idea of memoir, grappling with the lure of selfinterest and
self-presentation. While setting out to describe the experience of
serving as head juror at the trial of Michael Antwone Jordan, he can't
help veering off into an examination of his own transgressions,
inadvertent and otherwise. He scrutinizes his private experience of the
public funeral ceremony for Gerald R. Ford. He considers his addiction
to chemically concocted Doritos and disappointment in the plain, natural
corn chip, and finds that the manufactured, considered form, at least in
snacks, is ultimately a more rewarding experience than the "truth." So
why is America so crazy about accurately confessional memoirs?
With Vanishing Point, Monson delivers on the promise shown in Neck
Deep, which introduced his winning voice and ability to redefine the
essay and "puts most memoirs to shame" (Time Out Chicago).
