Rating: 
Summary: A fine, gripping read
Review: Kaplan's knowledge of history and world affairs -- combined with a mastery of analogy and great journalistic instincts -- makes for a great read. I think the WSJ "dissed" on this book only because he didn't rubber-stamp their privateer's world-view; For that matter, he doesn't fit neatly into any political camp, which makes him all the more valuable as a chronicler.
Rating: 
Summary: Basically a good effort. Certainly thought provoking.
Review: The material presented gives one considerable to consider. I would have enjoyed it more had the writing style not been so flowery. I did find that there was one major aspect that caused concern as to the motives of the author - the continual need to offer gratuitous apologies for the black population.
Rating:
Summary: Great ideas, a good book
Review: Mr. Kaplan has written a good piece. What does patriotism mean in 1999? If we had a war today would anybody come? Or would people just sit smuggly at home, behind the wall, and fondle their financial portfolio? If the conflict does threaten the "American Way Of Life" (my money) a cry will raise "draft up a bunch of the underclass and Afican-Americans and send them to fight" The scarry thought is what happens when the underclass realize who their real enemy is? Who edited this book? It had far too many word processor spell check errors (misspelled word forms another acceptable word) BTW Grama not gama is the short grass on the High Plains (Bouteloua sp.)
Rating:
Summary: A great book.
Review: Kaplan has an interesting take on the directions our society is taking, especially as regards the fate of cities.
Rating:
Summary: An Important Book
Review: Through the travelogue format Kaplan presents a sobering look at contemporary America and highlights trends which are sobering. The comparisons of American suburban poverty to the third world are well drawn.
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Summary: Kaplan opened my eyes to a daily world I never see.
Review: I've taken Kaplan's book very seriously, recommending it to my book club and all my friends. I want to bring Kaplan to San Antonio, ask him to sketch our city as he has done the others, but with more depth with some of us concerned about building a positive city, then move into a dialogue about what we can DO about it. I'm proud to know that someone of this generation is thinking about these things, although I wish his analysis of the Mexico/Southwest relationship was more complete. Anyone know how I can find him?
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible book
Review: This book starts of real interesting. The author is traveling around talking to people, discussing the history of different places. But after awhile, even though he's going to different places he keeps saying the exact same things about capitalism, how will democracy survive this or that problem... Kaplan gets so repetitive and preachy(this guy has no sense of humor) I could hardly finish the damn thing.. If you want to read something good on similar topics: Badland, Jonathon Raban The Big One, Michael Moore Road Scholar, Andrei Codrescu
Rating:
Summary: Headin' for the (gated) hills
Review: I revelled in Kaplan's book "Balkan Ghosts" and snagged this as it passed my eyes in the library. This is a difficult storyline to pursue because people are taught to think narrowly on a contextual issue. Kaplan fights this notion and is to be commended. These vignettes offer samplings of opinions that, taken as a whole, make for a worthwhile book. From my time spent in the areas of the southwest, his presentation is spot on and deserves a reading. I recommend this book as both a learning and contemplative experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Call me Chicken Little but...
Review: I have never been to Turkmenistan. After reading The Ends of the Earth I thought I had an idea of what the dawn of the new century would mean for the rest of the world. Now I doubt it.
I have been on the ground in the good old USA. I've walked around the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Place of Meditation. I believe Mr. Kaplan is correct in his identification of the symptoms but wrong is his diagnosis of the disease.
The federal government will continue to become more and more irrelevant to Americans only as long as we continue to have the privilege of taking it for granted. To paraphrase George Will, historians always refer to periods of peace as interludes between two wars. I haven't sensed an earth-shattering paradigm shift. The next war probably won't be anything we are prepared for. That's why it will happen. It may be terroristic, environmental, economic. Who knows. When it does come to pass, rest assured every American will at least want to feel united even if by then it is too late to do anything about it. In the meanwhile we sate our federal government's appetite for a purpose with Head Start programs, Flag Burning Ammendments, and plenty of government mandated income redistribution.
Maybe the book attempts too much. In any event, despite Mr. Kaplan's substantial journalistic ability An Empire Wilderness fails.
Rating:
Summary: I wish America were more like France
Review: I love Kaplan's writing. He's an intelligent and insightful journalist, yet his most recent effort is full of high-minded intellectual cliches. We've heard much of this before: How suburban sprawl undermines feeling of community; how the global economy is increasing tension between the "haves" and the "have nots"; how unchecked competition is creating social dysfunction; how technology has a way of eroding quality of life; etc... All this may be interesting when considered as a "wish list" for highly educated urban professionals, but its not at all new. I find most of these theses to be highly reactionary. Suburban life doesn't have to be as banal as we are lead to believe. Cars and computers represent progress. I'm not likely to subscribe to the notion that just because St. Louis is not as "dense" as it used to be that it somehow becomes less of a city. So, if you're looking for someone to confirm the idea that the United States would be better off if it were more like France--with soft social services, natural skepticism about the benefits of technology, and dense old cities with lots of winding streets and sidewalk cafes--Kaplan provides that here. But, I've seen it all before.
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