Mall of America: Reflections of a Virtual Community

This book is an odd combination of history, sociology, and memoir. Author Eric Nelson recounts his vertigo at the opening of Mall of America, the greatest tourist attraction in the United States, and uses this as an opportunity to create a dialogue with all things American. Stories from Indian casino workers, Jerry Siegel's recollections of creating Superman, the odd goings-on at a wedding that took place inside the mall, and more come together to create a truly unusual literary venture. Nelson uses the mall as a geographical and economic locus to tell the story of how the U.S. came to be the consumer-friendly pseudo-world that it is today. --James DiGiovanna