Being America: Liberty, Commerce, and Violence in an American World

With the publication of his first book, For Common Things, Jedediah Purdy “stormed the capital . . . with an unfashionably passionate attack on the dangers of modern passionlessness” and established himself as a social critic “eloquent beyond his years” (Time). In his new book, Being America, Purdy applies his “fresh and vibrant voice” (Kirkus Reviews) to exploring how America is perceived, emulated, and judged in a rapidly changing world.