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Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point

Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point

Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point
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Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point

by Lipsky, David

  • Used
  • Very Good
  • Hardcover
  • Signed
  • first
Condition
Very Good/good
ISBN 10
061809542X
ISBN 13
9780618095421
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Seller rating:
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Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
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About This Item

Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003. First Edition. First Printing. Hardcover. Very good/good. 317 pages. Illus., bibliography, slight creasing to DJ edges, small crease in front DJ flap. Signed by the author. Lipsky, a Rolling Stone writer and an award-winning novelist, chronicles daily life at the U.S. Military Academy during the most tumultuous period in its history. In 1998, West Point made David Lipsky an unprecedented offer: stay at the Academy as long as you like, go wherever you wish, talk to whomever you want, to discover why some of America's most promising young people sacrifice so much to become cadets. Lipsky followed one cadet class into mess halls, barracks, classrooms, bars, and training exercises, from arrival through graduation. During arguably the most eventful four years in West Point's history, Lipsky witnesses the arrival of TVs and phones in dorm rooms, the end of hazing, and innumerable other shifts in policy and practice known collectively as The Changes. He uncovers previously unreported scandals and poignantly evokes the aftermath of September 11, when cadets must prepare to become officers in wartime.

Synopsis

Lipsky, a Rolling Stone writer and an award-winning novelist, chronicles daily life at the U.S. Military Academy during the most tumultuous period in its history. In 1998, West Point made David Lipsky an unprecedented offer: stay at the Academy as long as you like, go wherever you wish, talk to whomever you want, to discover why some of America's most promising young people sacrifice so much to become cadets. Lipsky followed one cadet class into mess halls, barracks, classrooms, bars, and training exercises, from arrival through graduation. By telling their stories, he also examines the Academy as a reflection of our society: Are its principles of equality, patriotism, and honor quaint anachronisms or is it still, as Theodore Roosevelt called it, the most "absolutely American" institution? During arguably the most eventful four years in West Point's history, Lipsky witnesses the arrival of TVs and phones in dorm rooms, the end of hazing, and innumerable other shifts in policy and practice known collectively as The Changes. He uncovers previously unreported scandals and poignantly evokes the aftermath of September 11, when cadets must prepare to become officers in wartime. Absolutely American spotlights a remarkable ensemble of characters: a former Eagle Scout who struggles with every facet of the program, from classwork to marching; a foul-mouthed party animal who hates the military and came to West Point to play football; a farm-raised kid who seems to be the perfect soldier, despite his affection for the early work of Georgia O’Keeffe; and an exquisitely turned-out female cadet who aspires to "a career in hair and nails" after the Army. These cadets and their classmates are transformed in fascinating, sometimes astonishing, ways by one of America's most mythologized and least understood challenges. Many of them thrive under the rigorous regimen; others battle endlessly just to survive it. A few give up the fight altogether. Lipsky's extensive experience covering college students for Rolling Stone helped him gain an exceptional degree of trust and candor from both cadets and administrators. They offer frank insights on drug use, cheating, romance, loyalty, duty, patriotism, and the Army's tortuous search for meaning as new threats loom.

Reviews

On Oct 10 2022, a reader said:
Absolutely American is “uncommonly good” as the author’s journey took a surprising turn and he ended up writing about the real and emotional challenges of USMA cadets (who were ultimately impacted by 9/11). Your preconceived notions of West Point should be challenged after reading this book (though note that hazing has nearly been eradicated in the decades after this publication). Absolutely American is about youth going to college - but a school that demands so much more from them, as they will go on to help protect, and possibly fight, for America’s freedom.

I loved the author’s honesty in sharing his personal biases and the unlocking of his rigidity against all things military. His voice gave this book authenticity and a place of pride in written history.

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Details

Bookseller
Ground Zero Books US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
56336
Title
Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point
Author
Lipsky, David
Format/Binding
Hardcover
Book Condition
Used - Very Good
Jacket Condition
good
Quantity Available
1
Edition
First Edition. First Printing
ISBN 10
061809542X
ISBN 13
9780618095421
Publisher
Houghton Mifflin Company
Place of Publication
Boston, MA
Date Published
2003
Keywords
USMA, West Point, Military Officers, Military Academy, Military Education, Military Training, Plebes, Patriotism, Signed

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About the Seller

Ground Zero Books

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2005
Silver Spring, Maryland

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First Edition
In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
Edges
The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...

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