One of the comments most often heard after the 9/11 attacks in the US was that "America has lost its innocence." In this book, Spector argues that the country never was innocent, and that this myth of innocence helps keep Americans from understanding themselves or acknowledging the underside of the American dream. Drawing on Greek mythology, the author makes a powerful argument for why America does the same self-defeating things over and over, and how confronting the myths that have made America may lead to a better future. Annotation 2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
