America Is Elsewhere

America Is Elsewhere investigates the literary and cinematic category of “noir” and its role in the clash between authenticity and consumer culture that has helped to define post-World War II America. Erik Dussere considers the conflict by exploring the commercial spaces that appear in works throughout the genre. He searches the supermarkets and gas stations found in films like Double Indemnity and The Killers; journeys into Raymond Chandler’s Los Angeles; follows the trail of paranoia in neo-noir conspiracy thrillers like The Parallax View; and, ultimately, delves into the contemporary American spaces created by cyberpunk and the Coen brothers.