PERIL AND PROMISE: A Commentary on America...
PERIL AND PROMISE: A Commentary on America by John Chancellor (HarperPerennial: $8.95). The popular network newsman vents his anger at the nation’s “sham prosperity” in this readable blend of history and polemics. Chancellor offers a brief overview of post-World War II America, explaining how the country became simultaneously so rich and so poor. He makes no attempt to disguise his anger and disgust with the superficial politicians who fail to go beyond public- relations ploys in addressing the staggering problems of education, international competition, drug abuse and the national debt. However, it’s easier to identify these problems than to solve them (or finance the solutions), and none of Chancellor’s suggestions for revitalizing America seem particularly profound.
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