Want to learn the ideas in Fantasyland better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of Fantasyland by Kurt Andersen here.
Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.
Video Summaries of Fantasyland
We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on Fantasyland, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Kurt Andersen.
1-Page Summary of Fantasyland
Overview
For hundreds of years, millions of people have been tricked into believing in things that aren’t true. The English colonists who thought they would find gold when they came to America were one example. People during the 1960s were another example because many believed in acid and other drugs which led to bad experiences for them. Gun-enthusiasts today are yet another example; some believe guns can do great things like protect their homes from intruders but those beliefs are not based on facts or reality. How did we get to a point where so many people believe false information? What is it about our society that has allowed this sort of thing happen?
Is it possible that most people live in a fantasy world? Kurt Andersen believes Donald Trump represents this fantasy land. He dismisses facts and news he doesn’t like, insists entire races or religions pose threats to America’s values, and has temper tantrums when things don’t go his way.
In his book, Andersen argues that Trump’s attitude is not new. He points out that people have a tendency to embrace their fantasies and reject reality in the United States. In this article, you’ll learn about the first movie ever played at the White House; when exactly hippies became popular; how guns are an illusion of protection.
Big Idea #1: People in the early days of America were jealous of the gold found in Spain.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus set out on an expedition to find a better shipping route between Europe and Asia. He failed spectacularly but discovered the Americas. Shortly after that discovery, more explorers were sent across the Atlantic by the king of Spain. Those explorers headed down into Mexico and South America in search of gold, which they finally found.
The Spanish were the first Europeans to discover gold in Mexico and South America. They began mining it on a large scale, which made them very powerful. The English became jealous of Spain’s power, so they sent an army to conquer Virginia from the Native Americans there.
Soon, the English court was dreaming up its own American discoveries. The queen believed that there may be gold in America and commissioned several expeditions to find it. These were based on hearsay and secondhand information, but she didn’t care about that because she wanted to find more gold.
Colonists were sent to the New World. However, despite their efforts, they failed to find any gold. Instead of giving up on their quest for gold, King James decided to send more colonists and seek out new opportunities in the colonies.
When the colonists first settled in Virginia, they struggled to find products that would sell back home. They found one successful product: tobacco.
Big Idea #2: The Mormon religion was founded in the United States and is based on fantasy.
If you look at the Bible as a fictional book, then you could say that The Book of Mormon is one of the greatest examples of Christian fiction.
The Book of Mormon was the basis for a new religion called Mormonism.
Joseph Smith claimed to have seen an angel, who told him about a previously unknown part of the Bible. The gold plates were buried close to his house.
Smith was said to have found the plates, which he transcribed into his book. The book’s message is that there was a group of Israelites who sailed from Jerusalem to America in the sixth century BC. They then founded a civilization that Jesus Christ visited and appointed some new apostles.
The author points out that the story is quite imaginative, but a significant number of Americans have joined Smith’s church. They do so because they are willing to indulge in fantasy.
