The American Dream

On his quest to experience the American dream from a variety of starting points, writer and comedian Harmon Leon goes undercover, and in doing so comes up against all manner of alarming people. He pitches in with carnies, poses as a Canadian in order to buy a fake green card, and hangs out with the 'God Hates Fags' nutjobs over at the Westboro Baptist Church. Leon takes enthusiastically to each role, and often parodies the people he spends time with, while (mostly) going undetected. At times, his findings seem more suited to stand-up than to the written word, but the book is an entertaining read throughout, occasionally interspersed with more sobering points of view. It’s left up to the reader to decide which chapter most closely resembles your own personal hell – I’m torn between the Marijuana American Dream, in which pot-farmers get stoned and talk shit ad nauseam, or the Swinger American Dream (Leon’s companion, surveying the aftermath of a party, blurts, “I don’t think I ever want to have sex again”).