Book Review: 'America Fantastica' entertaining journey that looks at consequences of lies

By A Mystery Man Writer

Last updated 17 Jul 2024

In “America Fantastica,” novelist Tim O'Brien explores the impact of deception and lies on the country with a satire that begins with a simple bank robbery.
In “America Fantastica,” novelist Tim O'Brien explores the impact of deception and lies on the country with a satire that begins with a simple bank robbery. In his review, The Associated Press' Andrew DeMillo writes that O'Brien proves he remains one of the most powerful writers with his first novel in two decades. The novel follows the story of Boyd Halverson, a disgraced former reporter and JCPenney employee who robs a California bank and walks out with the teller with whom he's been flirting. The book portrays misinformation as a epidemic O'Brien dubs mythomania, with the novel recounting familiar lies from political figures in recent years.