Synopses & Reviews
Rereading America remains the most widely adopted book of its kind because of its unique approach to the issue of cultural diversity. Unlike other multicultural composition readers that settle for representing the plurality of American voices and cultures, Rereading America encourages students to grapple with the real differences in perspectives that arise in our complex society. Selections model writing from a wide variety of disciplines and genres, and each chapter features a selection that explores how the media sells the myth in question. With extensive editorial apparatus that puts readings from the mainstream into conversation with readings from the margins, Rereading America provokes students to explore the foundations and contradictions of our dominant cultural myths.
About the Author
Gary Colombo is professor of English at Los Angeles City College. He has published
Mind Readings: An Anthology for Writers (2002), and with Bonnie Lisle and Sandra Mano,
Frame Work: Culture, Storytelling and College Writing (1997), both for Bedford/St. Martins.
Robert Cullen is professor of English at San Jose State University. He supervises Teaching Associates in the universitys lower-division writing sequence and has taught a wide range of courses in American literature, American Studies, composition, and pedagogy.
Bonnie Lisle teaches in the UCLA Writing Programs. With Gary Colombo and Sandra Mano she is the author of Frame Work: Culture, Storytelling and College Writing (Bedford/St. Martins, 1997).
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Harmony at Home: The Myth of the Model Family A Family Tree,
Freedom from Want, and
Freedom from Fear Norman Rockwell
Looking for Work Gary Soto
What We Really Miss About the 1950s Stephanie Coontz
Aunt Ida Pieces a Quilt Melvin Dixon
An Indian Story Roger Jack
*The Color of Family Ties: Race, Class, Gender, and Extended Family Involvement Naomi Gerstel and Natalia Sarkisian
Visual Portfolio Reading Images of American Families
*Proposition 8: The California Marriage Protection Act *8 Is Not Hate: The Meaning of a Proposition Jennifer Roback Morse
*Proposition 8 Hurt My Family - Ask Me How Marriage Equality USA
What Is Marriage? Evan Wolfson
*My Big Fat Straight Wedding Andrew Sullivan
Chapter 2: Learning Power: The Myth of Education and Empowerment From
Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education, 1848 Horace Mann
Idiot Nation Michael Moore
Against School John Taylor Gatto
"I Just Wanna Be Average" Mike Rose From
Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work Jean Anyon
Visual Portfolio Reading Images of Education and Empowerment
The Achievement of Desire Richard Rodriguez
Para Teresa Inés Hernández-Ávila
Learning to Read Malcolm X
Still Separate, Still Unequal Jonathan Kozol
*In the Basement of the Ivory Tower Professor X
Chapter 3: Money and Success: The Myth of Individual Opportunity From
Ragged Dick Horatio Alger
The Lesson Toni Cade Bambara
Horatio Alger Harlon L. Dalton
*Living It: Tim Blixseth Robert Frank
Serving in Florida Barbara Ehrenreich
*Class in America - 2006 Gregory Mantsios
Visual Portfolio Reading Images of Individual Opportunity
Framing Class, Vicarious Living, and Conspicuous Consumption [Media Selection] Diana Kendall *From
The Missing Class Katherine S. Newman and Victor Tan Chen
*Tent City, USA Maria L. LaGranga *From
Americas New Working Class Kathleen R. Arnold
Stephen Cruz Studs Terkel
Chapter 4: Created Equal: The Myth of the Melting Pot From
Notes on the State of Virginia Thomas Jefferson
Causes of Prejudice Vincent N. Parrillo
C.P. Ellis Studs Terkel
*School James McBride
*Loot or Find: Fact or Frame? [Media Selection] Cheryl I. Harris and Devon W. Carbado
Visual Portfolio Reading Images of The Melting Pot
Models of American Ethnic Relations: A Historical Perspective George M. Fredrickson
Assimilation Sherman Alexie
*Deconstructing America Patrick J. Buchanan
The Crossing Rubén Martínez
*The End of White America? [Media Selection] Hua Hsu
Child of the Americas Aurora Levins Morales
Chapter 5: True Women and Real Men: Myths of Gender How the Americans Understand the Equality of the Sexes Alexis de Tocqueville
Girl Jamaica Kincaid
Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender Aaron H. Devor
The Story of My Body Judith Ortiz Cofer
"Two ways a Woman Can Get Hurt": Advertising and Violence [Media Selection] Jean Kilbourne
From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hos [Media Selection] Joan Morgan
Visual Portfolio Reading Images of Gender
*"Bros Before Hos": The Guy Code Michael Kimmel
*The Descent of Men Dan Kindlon
*The Death of Macho Reihan Salam
*A Boy's Life Hanna Rosin
Chapter 6: This Land is Your Land: American Myths of Nature *From
Walking Henry David Thoreau *From
An American Childhood Annie Dillard
*Climbing the Tree of Health Richard Louv
*The Artifice of the Natural [Media Selection] Charles Siebert *From
As the World Burns: 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Stay in Denial Derek Jensen & Stephanie McMillan
*The End of Nature Bill McKibben
*Visual Portfolio Reading Images of Nature
*Save the Whales, Screw the Shrimp Joy Williams
*Moving Heaven and Earth Graeme Wood
*In Search of Justice Nydia M.Velasquez
*Talking to the Owls and Butterflies John (Fire) Lame Deer and Richard Erdoes
* new to this edition