Rating: 
Summary: So true, so true
Review: This book was dead-on about many of the amusing dichotomies I've seen in my life as the employee of a dot-com-like company and now as a graduate student. For example, a friend stating that she and I are inherently "different" than the other people taking public transportation because of our education levels. Said person turning down retail jobs when dead broke because these jobs were not "intellectually stimulating". Wealthy students protesting the use of improperly farmed tomatoes at Taco Bell - a place at which they'd never be caught dead working and where the $ employees commute via bus from other towns because they can't afford the exorbitant rent in town. Non-NPR-listeners referred to as "Joe Six Pack." The puzzling matter of how to dress for a business meeting - casual, but affluent with some carefully-chosen jewelry crafted by indigenous peoples. Lectures on diversity addressed to a 100% white audience. The feeling of moral inferiority experienced if you've spent your weekend lying around rather than extreme ice-climbing or training for a triathalon. Concern for poor people as long as they're over in Tibet as opposed to living next door. An interesting subject...wish there were more books poking fun at/examining it...
Rating:
Summary: A hilarious piece of pop sociological candy
Review: "Bobos in Paradise" is a hilarious book and a great read. It is overflowing with cattily observant witticisms which will leave you nodding in bemused recognition, if not agreement. Profound, though, it is not. Apart from some interesting research at the beginning of the book, documenting the histories of the bourgeois and the bohemian, the book coasts by on the shakey analytical ground of the colorful journalistic anecdote. Which is great for readability and attendent book sales (and appearance on the talk show circuit), but doesn't really work for proving the existence of a new social paradigm. The concept and term of the BoBos is creative and dead-on in and of itself, and the book works on this strength alone. But two of its pillar thesis ring hollow. One of these is his description of the BoBos themselves. As a 26-year-old BoBo, perhaps my generation of BoBos is a little more pragmatic than those Brooks described, who are now in their late 30s with kids in the suburbs. The [$$$] goretex, the New Agey spiritualism, the frighteningly elaborate kitchens may describe one set of BoBos, but certainly not all or even most. His generalizations were swept too wide. The second problem is Brooks assertion of the BoBo status as "the new ruling class". That sort of optimism may have seemed a safe guess during the Clinton era, but the reascendency of the Bush Dynasty proves that the old, WASP hereditary elite remains alive and kicking. Sure, BoBo PC sensabilities have invaded the mainstream, and, perhaps, we BoBos will someday rule the roost. But it's easy, in our ivory tower enclaves to forget that the old ethics of WASPdom are still in charge and won't go down without a fight.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent, academic but accessible study
Review: "Bobos in Paradise" exceeded my expectations for a non-fiction account of 1990s and 2000s culture. It is, unexpectedly, more than just a collection of observations from a social critic that might sell well at an airport bookstore. No, this is more a dissertation than pop reading -- a carefully weaved study of the new rich and the effect of the emergence of this class on our culture and society. It helps to locate this emerging class by identifying what it reads, how it shops, and what it dislikes in so many ways that are obviously true yet not obvious at all. Its most important and interesting contribution to the discourse of current society is its placing of this new amorphous class into its historical context, returning to the writings of Ben Franklin as well as such modern philosophers as Richard Rorty. This book has so many "That's so true, but I never considered it" moments that reading it is less like reading an academic book and more like reading a long and more carefully crafted intellectual magazine article. I have about one of every three page corners turned down to remind me to return to it. Best of all, this book is very, very accessible, well written, and funny. I feel smarter for having read it, and I will never buy a cup of coffee, buy camping gear at REI, or enjoy a CD the same way again. This is indispensable reading for anyone seeking to understand, market to, or identify with the class of the new but humble upper middle class. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Rating:
Summary: Great analogies, great synthesis, and a great read!
Review: An entertaining, informative, critical, and yet ultimately redeeming book. I was suspicious of the title because it implied a stereotype (like the Yuppie and GenX crap). Not to worry, though at a few points, Brooks seems as pretentious in his criticism as the lot he's examining. But it's rare and actually very entertaining. In fact, this feels like an extended Dennis Miller rant with more cultural anthropology and fewer winks and nudges. His use of "The Graduate" as a Bobo metaphor was brilliant. And, Brooks is able to bravely tackle the tougher subjects like politics, morality, and spirituality with truth and grace. Well done.
Rating:
Summary: The WASP is dead! Long live the Bobo!
Review: The Bobo (Bourgeois/Bohemian) are baby boomers and middle aged yuppies who made good in college, embraced corporate America and are now the new ruling class of educated elites. A class defined by pretensions of artistic sensibilities, left wing politics and a penchant for constant self improvement. Consequently Bobos do not enjoy orgasm, they achieve it, rather like getting an A in algebra thanks to the right tutor. Lady Chatterly's lover has become Lady Chatterly's 'empowerment counselor'. In formerly exclusive Bohemian fields borgeois etiquette and mainstream acceptance are now the new standards. Sadomasochistic groups which less enlightened souls would have termed perverts during the stone age of pre-Bobo American society nowdays respectfully refer to themselves as 'the leather community ' and host charity drives. As Mr. Brooks observes, self-respect is a laudable goal to attain while one is tied naked to the floor worshipping a leather boot. Bobo theology is somewhat reminiscent of the church of the month club. So tolerant and vague Unitarians are put to shame. Brooks believes The last Judgement will be replaced with The last Discussion group in which the damned will be separated from those who re-cycle. Even the legendary orgiastic two fisted parties of disenfrachised artists have crumbled before the onslaught. Bobo parties sin against Dionysus. Two white wines at most and it's time to go home to the kids. In the past the Bohemians raised hell, but now that CEO's have delusions of quirky artistry and all corporate work is 'creative' parties are sedate affairs to chit chat about your vacation in Nepal, or better yet, Vietnam. No one needs to let off steam, just lay back and talk about the latest offerings on N.P.R. The Clintons, according to Brooks, are the quitessential Bobos, hip anti war protestors of the 60's and futures traders in the 80's. As to Bobo child rearing, Brooks likes to contrast Tom Sawyer with today's PBS kids. Tom was beaten by kindly Aunt Polly into acquiring table manners and attending school but was otherwise left free to adventure and wander. The children of Bobos are never spanked, but according to the author they are more enslaved than they were in the Victorian era. They are shepparded from one adult sponsored event to another. Adventure and wander? You must be kidding! All games and activities must be edifying, as the specter of SAT tests loom around the corner. Above all, it's in the art of unconspicous consumption that Bobos truly show their mettle. A diamond necklace is declasse and mansions are gaudy, but what could possibly be wrong in spending $25,000 on a shower stall? Or designing a kitchen that looks like an airport hangar? If it's a 'tool', the sky's the limit in spending. Hence we have Sports Utility (a contradiction in terms) Vehicles and R.E.I. sweaters and ponchos that cost an arm and a leg. Never mind that the SUV will hardly ever be taken off road, nor that 99% of the R.E.I. consumers will ever hike a glacier. The gear is cool. Bobos in Paradise is a very witty book and worth the reading though the author is careful not to cut too deep. In the first place, Mr. Brooks errs in assigning Bobos the title of the new upper class. They're not. Despite all their money, they're middle class to the core. And Mr. Brooks, a self admitted Bobo himself, attempts too hard to defend their contributions to American culture. True, hippies produced the lava lamp and Bobos produced Martha Stewart. And while we should let history decide which is the greater cultural atrocity, we should not to forget Mort Sahl's definition of yuppies as that detestable generation whose idea of courage is to eat at a restaurant that has not yet been reviewed.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended!
Review: In the last 24 hours have you: 1) Drank a cup of Starbucks coffee? 2) Worn a pair of hiking boots that cost more than $100, or 3) Eaten any organically grown food? If so, chances are that you're a Bobo. The Bobos, or Bourgeois Bohemians, are the moneyed and cultured elites who comprise today's establishment. As they assume a dominant role in the business world, the Bobos are bringing with them the artistic flair, cultural irreverence and social awareness that they - or their parents - experienced in the 1960s. Author David Brooks is to be commended for identifying this group, and tagging it with an appropriately deprecating nickname. We from getAbstract highly recommend this engaging, insightful - and let's face it- kind of embarrassing analysis of today's upper class.
Rating:
Summary: The New Establishment
Review: They river-raft in West Virginia, beach-bum in Jamaica, and hike in the high deserts of Arizona. You'll see them with their $3000 Pentium-charged laptops at Starbucks, ordering latte with orange valencia, and choking on dried, little, day-old scones. And they rally around the egalitarian views of Ben & Jerry at the same time they exchange day-trading secrets on RagingBull.com. They are the Bourgeois Bohemians (Bobos), the newest American elite. In this fun little scuttlebutt of a book, the Weekly Standard's David Brooks describes a class of folks who "seemed to have combined the countercultural sixties and the achieving eighties into one social ethos." Hence, Bob Dylan meets Reaganomics. Bourgeois, after all, means practical middle class living, working the corporate way of life, and paying down the mortgage. Bohemian signifies carefree and artsy-fartsy, more Jack Kerouac than Martha Stewart. Combine the two, and what you have is a mildly conservative hippie who owns enough shares in Ford Motor Company to pay the kid's tuition to Dartmouth, yet celebrates Kyoto's anti-carbon monoxide stance and Gore's push for Yugo-like CAFÉ standards for 8,000 lb. SUVs. They are an educated lot, these Bobos, and education is their stepping-stone to the upper echelon of society. In Bobo Land, the aristocratic class doesn't come by way of the umbilical cord, as the genteel are no longer determined by genetic breeding, but by their Yale law degrees and Rhodes Scholar titles. The arts-and-croissant rank and filers are the nurturers, as Brookes calls them. The business-type folks are the predators. The two cultures intermingle; that is, the nurturers and the predators meet at an Ivy League college, they marry, then they appear on the wedding page of the New York Times, which is the ultimate sign of success. The Bobo consumption habits are a bit peculiar. Their Decade of Gree-provided disposable income steers them to places like Crate & Barrel and FAO Schwartz. Three hundred-dollar goose down pillows are a near-requirement, as are the home cappuccino machines that resemble a Frankenstein contraption and churn away at Costa Rican organic beans. The simple has been replaced by the sophisticated. And no longer do name brand reputations determine their consumption habits; Bobos are more concerned with the company's social and environmental responsibility record. The Bobo business life is often set in small, upscale communities, or as the author calls them, Latte Towns. "The ideal Latte Town", quips Brooks, "has a Swedish-style government, German-style pedestrian malls, Victorian houses, Native American crafts, Italian coffee, Berkeley human rights groups, and Beverly Hills income levels." Though business is about making money, Brookes points out that the Bobo businessperson may practice a sort of "enlightened capitalism", where making money is connected to some progressive cause, somewhere, whether it's John Mellencamp's farmer friends, Sting's rainforest, or third-world workers working without air-conditioning CFCs. This gives the countercultural entrepreneur a sense of honesty and feel-goodism, both of which are prerequisites for the success of the capitalist-radical fusion. Bobo intellectuals are somewhat a variant of the entrepreneurs. Their bohemian nature and thoughts of grandiose accomplishments spur them onward. Though less cash conscious than their business brothers, they still tend to see that the grass is usually greener on the other side. A Brookes jocularity is the Bobo intellectual crisis known as SIDS - Status-Income Disequilibrium. That is, "they spend their days in glory and their nights in mediocrity. At work they go off and give lectures - all eyes upon them - appear on TV and on NPR, chair meetings. All day long phone messages pile up on their desk - calls from rich or famous people seeking favors or attention - but at night they realize the bathroom needs cleaning so they have to pull out the Ajax. At work they are aristocrats, kings of the meritocracy, schmoozing with George Plimpton. At home they wonder if they can really afford a new car." This is the essence of the Bobo intellectual - no matter how much green the two-income Bobo family seems to earn, it is never enough to compete with their cream of the crop companions. It means vacations at Disney World or Virginia Beach instead of the Swiss Alps. The Bobo culture is busy raising 2.4 children apiece, and cultivates them differently. They have given up McGuffey Reader for Heather Has Two Mommies, and they have made sex a household word and dinnertime discussion. "It's not all chaos and amoralism," says Brookes. "What they are doing is weird and may be disgusting, but it has its own set of disciplines." Disciplined or not, this new Bohemian tolerance is questionable. They have become more tolerant of things deemed sordid in the past, but at the same time, they are also an intolerant, politically correct sort of bunch. So they're practicing sort of an intolerant tolerance, I suppose. The Bobos are a people on the move. They move to wherever it is fashionable, and they live in whatever seems spiritual. An environmentally smart log cabin with the organic garden will do. Montana has become the champion state of free spirited Bobos, whereas the old bohemian wouldn't be caught dead in a state where right-wing mountain people collect gun racks and freeze-dried food. A final, great shot taken by Brookes is the fad of intermeshing spiritual beliefs. Religion is no longer so strictly defined, as Boboism has reached out to all classes of spirituality, leaving one woman to "describe herself as a "Methodist Taoist Native Amnerican Quaker Russian Orthodox Buddhist Jew." Phew. Therefore, the Bobo religionist is no longer bound to the rigid confines of discerning religion. Like everything else, it's a hodge-podge. Bobos in Paradise is engaging, crazy, and a phraseology jewel. Brookes has spelled out the suburban middle-class in appropriate terms. As you read, you'll recognize neighbors, family members, and maybe even a little bit of yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Opportunity to laugh at yourself
Review: I never really understood what the conflict was between the Bohemians and the Bourgeois until I read this book. Not only was it very educational from a sociological perspective but it was hilarious. I saw myself over and over again which makes me wonder just how unique I really am or if I am just being swept up in the cultural drift of our times. Great read!
Rating:
Summary: Bobos all over the world as well as in Paradise
Review: Mr. Brooks has produced a wonderful and deep social and psycological analysis of an elite class whose way of living and upscale culture is sorrounding us all over the world, not only in America. He shows, without mercy, the tasty trends of the upper classes during the 90s and how these trends influence us all in terms of consumption, marketing and even politics. A fun to read book where Mr. Brooks developed an accute and smart critic over our generation. the so called Bobos is dictated by incredible both social and psycological
Rating: 
Summary: Not as funny as the sample pages
Review: I ordered this book because I read the sample pages online and they were both interesting and entertaining. I was a bit disappointed once I ordered the actual book. The beginning chapters were very good and met the expectations I had, but towards the end the book tended to drone on and become quite boring. I even ended up skipping pages because I just couldn't get motivated to finish. The author explains that he orginally started out writing short stories on this subject. I think this information could have stayed funny and interesting in a short story or article form, but the book was just too much. All and all I would still recommed it if you can borrow it from someone or get it from the library, but I wouldn't spend money on it.
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