The concept is interesting -- why should journalists pretend to be on the outside, as disinterested observers? What if they can't be objective, or can't get access to a subject without becoming involved? Submersion Journalism is a collection of articles from Harpers that show what can happen when reporters dive right into the stories they are covering.

What happens can be compelling, but isn't necessarily good. Conflict is necessary for a good story, and in all of the cases in this book, the conflict comes from the reporters infiltrating groups/cultures/families they are on some level inherently opposed to. Whether it's the Bush campaign, mysterious religious group "The Family," or men on a bride hunt in Ukraine, each writer is snarky and disdainful of his or her surroundings.

Each story (with a few incoherent exceptions) is fairly interesting, but reading report after report in the same self-righteous and judging tone gets to be oppressive. This is definitely a book to be read in small chunks. ( )