Petrusich tends to write with numerous amounts of detail that seem to take away from the point she is trying to make. The purpose of this book is to find out more about Americana: where was it conceived, how is it changing and growing, how is it preserved, and how is it influenced? However, she becomes wordy and shares details that could easily be overlooked. I don't need to know what snacks she brings along her trip, or what highways she takes. She could have easily summed it up into several pages. I would rather she just dive in head first and tackle the issue at hand. Also, I did not understand the reasoning behind adding the bits about living in Brooklyn. At some points I found the details to be a nice touch, especially when she visited Graceland. That was a part of the journey I actually wanted to hear about. In those scenarios the details do not appear to be added in just for more content, which is what I felt when she was describing her journey and the sights she saw on the way to Memphis. However, detailed writing seems to be Petrusich’s mark and it would not be her book if she didn’t write like herself.
When she begins to answer the questions she is on a mission for, she includes many facts and quotes from credible sources which enhances the point she's trying to make. She can't answer her questions based on her opinions because she isn't exactly an expert on the topic, but by including credible people she makes her argument more valid. It would also have been just as easy for her to search the documents and the internet to answer these questions, but she takes it upon herself to travel the road and find things out for herself. I can feel her passion and interest seep through the pages which only helps the reader to become more engaged.
Many people’s opinions are woven into their writing, something that hasn’t happened to Petrusich so far. However, I don’t think this will be an issue. I feel that she made it clear that she is trying to find these answers from others or just plain facts and stories. Once the reader is handed the information, they can infer what she is trying to say. I think it will be less of her opinion and more of the opinions that people have fed her.
CB
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