Books: The Pursuit of Happiness

THE CULTURE OF NARCISSISM: AMERICAN LIFE IN AN AGE OF DIMINISHING EXPECTATIONS

by Christopher Lasch; Norton; 268 pages; $11.95

Like a biblical prophet, Christopher Lasch appears at the gates of our culture with dire pronouncements: "Storm warnings, portents, hints of catastrophe haunt our times ... Defeat in Viet Nam, economic stagnation, and the impending exhaustion of natural resources have produced a mood of pessimism in higher circles, which spreads through the rest of society as people lose faith in their leaders ... As social life becomes more and more warlike and barbaric, personal relations,...

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