Dimensions
152 x 229 x 35mm
THE UNITED STATES OF PARANOIA is a unique and fascinating look at how conspiracies, whether true or not, have guided much of American history and helped shape the American cultural imagination. Through both past and current examples, Walker makes the compelling argument that paranoia doesn't just exist on the fringe of society, but is at the core of our national identity.
While a number of books about conspiracy theories have been published, they've tended to divide themselves into two categories: those that aim either to prove or debunk a particular myth, or academic studies written for a limited audience. Walker's work breaks this mold: THE UNITED STATES OF PARANOIA combines the rigor of primary- and secondary-source archival research with the punch of pulp fiction to explore the myths that haunt our nation, in a way that's entertaining and accessible for readers of all backgrounds. In wonderful detail, Walker spends the first half of his book dissecting the five archetypal "primal myths" that are the foundation for most American conspiracies: The Enemy Outside, The Enemy Within, The Enemy Above, The Enemy Below, and The Benevolent Conspiracy.
Walker then explores how these national myths can often guide the way we live now. From J. Edgar Hoover's FBI, to Watergate, to the "Matrix" movie phenomenon, to the Birthers, he spends the second half of the book underscoring a recent development that's eluded authors of like-minded books: the rise of a subculture interested in conspiracy as a topic and phenomenon in itself. There's a growing population, Walker attests, that's not only interested in conspiracies, but that's also playfully obsessed with them-a fact that sheds much light on our national identity.
