The Shocking Miss Pilgrim: A Writer in Early Hollywood

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Frederica Sagor Maas's life encompasses nearly the entire 20th century (she was born in early July 1900), and during the early years of the Hollywood film industry, she was as fierce a competitor for success as any man. Miss Sagor, still a student at Columbia College, was hired by Universal Pictures as an assistant story editor in 1920, when the job basically entailed attending Broadway plays and determining whether the studio should buy the film rights. Because her boss was an alcoholic, she soon found herself in complete charge of the story department. But she wanted to write screenplays herself, so she went to Hollywood and landed a job adapting a novel called The Plastic Age, which Preferred Pictures had acquired as a perfect vehicle for the "It Girl," Clara Bow.

In The Shocking Miss Pilgrim, Frederica--who met and married filmmaker Ernest Maas in 1927--shows how, despite her screenwriting abilities, her career in motion pictures was stymied by her outspoken disagreements with studio bosses, and how many of those around her gave into debauchery. (At one party, she reports, "undressed, tousled men chased naked women, shrieking with laughter. Included in this orgy was Ray Long, Mr. Hearst's representative; Harry Rapf, my own producer; and even the immaculate Irving Thalberg--all drunk, drunk, drunk.") Her memoir's prose has a charming tone, perfectly matching her Jazz Age exploits, which take up the bulk of the story. She also discusses the decline of the Maas's careers, which they finally abandoned after the Second World War, but not before writing a musical (called The Shocking Miss Pilgrim) for Betty Grable. The best passages concern Frederica's adventures in a young industry that was still discovering itself, such as her part in the creation of a motion picture legend: newly arrived actress Lucille LeSueur came up to her one day and said, "I like the way you dress. You dress like a lady. I need that. I want to be dressed right. Smart. I figured you could help." One shopping expedition later, and Joan Crawford was taking her first steps toward stardom. --Ron Hogan

Customer Reviews:

Unique window into early Hollywood, leftwing politics.......2005-07-03

I came across this book a few years ago when I learned that the author -- a next door neighbor of my great, great-grandparents 1908-11 -- was still living at 102! (They are featured on pg. 6) I phoned her and had a wonderful conversation.

She had written this book three years earlier. She has some wonderful experiences, and reports them with untethered opinion and vigor. But her style -- weighed down by cliches -- fast becomes wearisome. Maybe we should give her a break --- she was 99 when she wrote this.

There is lots of interest here -- turn of the century Russian, secular Jewish life in Manhattan, early Hollywood, left-wing politics (McCarthy wasn't being paranoid about all the communists within the gates).

The not-so-shocking Mrs. Maas.......2000-08-26

If awards were given to writers for packing the most cliches into one book--or even into one sentence--this gal would be in the running. Here's one of my favorites: "I was fit to be tied, ready to throw in the sponge and tell them where they could take their cotton-pickin' job." If this is your idea of sparkling prose, welcome to it. I find it no wonder that she and her husband didn't get too far as screenwriters. Of course, the fact that their greatest success was a now-forgotten Betty Grable musical should tell you something. As for the "shocking" facts about early Hollywood, the trade reviews (see above) quote every one of the most interesting, gossipy and shocking passages in the book. So save your money: you've just read it.

A forgotten era..........2000-04-09

It's hard to believe the world described by Frederica Sagor Maas in her memoir "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim" existed within the lifetimes of people alive today. So many of those who were once household names are now forgotten, so many of the places changed irrevocably.

Yet many of Ms. Maas' experiences & views will come as quite a surprise to the younger generation who tend to think they invented sex, drugs & partying. It's a revelation to hear a woman born in 1900, talking about herself at 20 state "I considered sex something natural like eating or getting dressed. Once it was over, it was over."

For a lifelong LA resident (now in exile) like myself, the greatest pleasure of this book was reading about what life was like in the entertainment capital at the beginning of it's reign. Now decrepit apartment houses described when they were desirable addresses; crowded urban corridors that were once sylvan wildlife areas! What surprises lurk here for those who know LA well!

For the general reader, the memoir moves along well, with Ms. Maas' tart comments always enlivening the recollections. The writing style is sparse & not especially descriptive as you would expect from someone who got her start writing scenarios for silent film. I did feel the book could benefit from some fleshing out; entire decades pass in a few paragraphs, the section describing the making of the film the book is entitled after is only a few pages long, & there were many experiences mentioned that would have benefitted from more description. But I guess at nearly 100 the past must often seem a film at fast forward & Ms. Maas' memory is to be commended!

This book is a valuable addition to the memoirs from the Golden Age of Film. It is especially valuable because it's from someone who was not viewing the industry from the heights but rather from the trenches. I salute Frederica Sagor Maas for having the honesty & clear-sightedness to produce this autobiography & for living the life she has led.

Hollywood at its best...and worst from one of its first.......1999-10-23

Extraordinary story from many angles: that of a bright, young female writer in the Twenties who could have risen to the top of her profession and should have, were it not for the jealous men who got in her way. That of a woman who was there when Hollywood was still a dirt road and saw it all. That of an emancipated woman who celebrates her independence in every sense of the word. That of a brilliant screenwriting couple permanently scarred by the McCarthy Witchhunts. I would have wished for more on her (and Ernest's) life after Hollywood. Did they stay in touch with Hollywood friends? How did their lives change? Reminds me a bit of today's crop of downsized millions forced to rechart their lives and who face the formidable barrier of age discrimination. Wonderful book! And by a near-centenarian, yet! What a salute to life after 50!!

One of the Best "Hollywood" Books-EVER!.......1999-09-16

An incredible biography by an extraordinary 99 year old who was employed by Hollywood studios from the 20's to the 40's. She knew many stars, including Clara Bow, and Garbo, and has much to say about them and other stars.GREAT BOOK!

Book Description

Jimi's life was much more than a testimony to rock 'n' roll, psychedelia or even Delta blues. Hendrix's quest was one shared by generations of inspired and talented artists.

Jimi treated his guitar as if it were a sexual partner whom he'd stroke, bite, rub, and even caress. Musically, Hendrix explored farout, erotic, and often bizarre places, but Jimi never took the trip without his audience; consistently imploring his listeners to join him for the ride. Hear Jimi in his own words on this audio biography as he talks about his family, first bands, early sessions and much more.

Customer Reviews:

More information than you really need to know.......2003-03-01

This book chronicles the life of Jimi Hendrix from many different interviews. His former Army buddies describe various experiences they had with him during his sadly cut short life.

Good Book.......2001-04-27

If anyone has any interest in Jimi Hendrix, you should read this book.

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Jimi Hendrix : In His Own Words
Tony Brown
Manufacturer: Omnibus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RGXBXA

Product Description

Illustrated with b & w photographs. 95p.

Rock Report / Jimi Hendrix in His Own Words

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Rock Report / Jimi Hendrix in His Own Words

Manufacturer: KRB Music Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: 4191460242

Product Description

At last, here is the story of legendary guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, with a wealth of never-before-heard interviews with those closest to Hendrix, including his band, and Al Hendrix, Jimi's dad. Also features several ultra-rare interviews with the guitarist who converted everyone to his wild electric vision.

Jimi Hendrix: Talking (In His Own Words)

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Jimi speaking, catogorized by subject from various interviews

Jimi Hendrix: Talking (In His Own Words)
Tony Brown
Manufacturer: Omnibus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1844490068

Customer Reviews:

Jimi speaking, catogorized by subject from various interviews.......2005-12-05

It's actually a great idea. Go over a variety of Jimi's actual interviews and make them into a book. Mr. Brown obtains the material from a variety of interviews with Jimi. The only weak link of this book is that none of those interviews, from what I could see, are cited in the book. Other than that, hearing Jimi speak, in print, is a very nice read. chrisbct@hotmail.com

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Treasures of Middle-Earth (Middle Earth Role Playing/MERP #8006)

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Treasures of Middle-Earth (Middle Earth Role Playing/MERP #8006)
Wolfgang Baur
Manufacturer: Iron Crown Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1558060480

Treasures of Middle-earth (MERP/Middle Earth Role Playing #2010)

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Treasures of Middle-earth (MERP/Middle Earth Role Playing #2010)

Manufacturer: Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1558062114

Amazon.com

No interest for one year! No annual fee! No minimum payments for six months! And, if you want to believe Robert Manning, there's no way out of the debt that we find ourselves in, as individuals and as a country. Credit Card Nation combines debt of every kind--consumer, corporate, and governmental--and creates a vast landscape of profit-spewing lenders and struggling debtors present at every level of economics. Appalling statistics set readers off on a depressing journey: the years between 1980 and 1994 saw annual consumer charges skyrocket from $170 billion to $581 billion, with the average household carrying over $4,000 in revolving debt. Accompanied by the erasure of nearly $100 billion in corporate debt and tremendous tax cuts for ever-merging conglomerates, the end of the 20th century seems to be just the beginning of an overwhelming cycle. While Manning's book is extensively researched, it is also extremely readable. Individual stories of junk bondsmen, corporate raiders, and middle-class consumers are threaded throughout the pages of charts and statistics, with a few surprises. While most media would have us believe that students who rack up charge accounts are totally irresponsible, the reality is that some of these students are helping their families with cash-advance loans to make mortgage or insurance payments. Emphasis is also placed on the tremendous advertising budgets of credit card companies: Manning comments on "how quickly the cultural norms have changed in the Credit Card Nation," we see a poster insisting "money can't buy you love, but a credit card can get you started." This is not a self-help book, and Manning has no 12-step program for debtors at any level. Credit Card Nation simply tells it as it is. --Jill Lightner

Book Description

A fascinating and timely chronicle of America's tortured relationship to money--and the future crisis that looms as a result of our overwhelming reliance on credit.

Credit-card debt is choking American prosperity off at the neck. In Credit Card Nation, Robert D. Manning tells a fascinating story about the present and future consequences of credit dependence across all strata of U.S. society. Through extensive interviews with consumers, Manning talks to debtors, and to average Americans, affected by what Manning describes as our "credit card nation": an American juggernaut of indebtedness that spans personal, corporate, and governmental debt.

Customer Reviews:

Robert D. Manning is one of the most influential "public" scholars in the US.......2007-09-07

Robert D. Manning is a rare combination of influential scholar and public policy "statesmen" whose work has not only inspired hundreds of scholars projects and thousands of media stories but also directly influence public understanding and regulation of financial institutions, the deregulated banking system, subprime lending, and the global dimensions of asset-backed securities.

Author of the widely acclaimed book, CREDIT CARD NATION, and editorial advisor of the powerful documentary, IN DEBT WE TRUST, which is based on his book, Dr. Manning's scholarly and public policy work constitutes a pathbreaking intellectual enterprise: a dispassionate and ongoing investigation of the nature of America's changing attitudes and behaviors toward consumer credit, the power of financial institutions, and role of the banking system in changing American society. Manning's analysis of America's growing dependence on consumer credit, the powerful financial institutions that have emerged under the deregulation era and shaped the fragile underpinnings of the "American Dream," are presented in the context of broad social, economic, and cultural perspectives as US society grapples with its declining position in the global economy.

Dr. Manning has produced a truly creative approach to analyzing the post-industrial society where there is more profit to be made financing consumption than producing the items themselves. This is an unusual book in its effective weaving of macro-social and economic trends with carefully selected case-studies of companies and housholds. There is no attempt to present glossy oversimplifications, black-and-white statements, or sweeping generalizations. Rather, the book seeks to demonstrate how globalization and US industrial restructuring have dramatically changed the opportunities for the American middle-class based on their earned income (remember the primacy of the one-income earning family in the 1960s!) AND the pressures of the federal government to aid the suffering banking industry through favorable deregulatory policies which indirectly contributed to the soaring federal deficit. Manning emphasizes that there is no single institution or social trend that is responsible for this phenomenon as he artfully explains how all sectors of American society have become integrally dependent on borrowing--the "Triangle of Debt."

This book is an impressive intellectual achievement: in a dispassionate manner it marshals overwhelming evidence and complex conceptual models that reveal the predatory policy banking institutions and marketing tools that have addicted most people to easy credit in America--both young and old. Furthermore, this book was the precursor to foresightful academic predictions of the subprime mortgage crisis and I understand that his next book systematically examines the consequences of the Credit Card Nation as the country's Baby Boomers enter into an underfunded quagmire of retirement. Aside from the momentous intellectual contributions of the book, Dr Manning is one of the rare breed of scholars that practices what he preaches in the classroom through Congressional testimony, trenchant policy analyses, frequent media commentary, and his own carefully designed alternative to consumer bankruptcy.

One nation, under debt, with liberty and justice for some.......2007-09-06

We're in the middle of an ongoing social and economic crisis according to Robert D. Manning, author of "Credit Card Nation". And with supporting evidence like his figures of every credit cardholder having 10 cards in their name and every family revolving over $4,000 in debt (the number now is over $7,000), it's easy to see why he feels like it is a crisis. In this fascinating book, Manning describes the situation thoroughly, shows who's at fault, and what we should expect as a result of the situation.

Manning separates the country into two categories of credit card users, the convenience sector, who pay their debt off monthly, and the revolver sector, who have accumulated all the personal debt this country maintains. He focuses on the revolvers and the dire straits they're in due to the interest they pay on their debt. The author does mention some bright spots in the history of debt (e.g. 'The Blair Witch Project', which was financed on credit cards and ended up making millions), but the overall picture portrayed is bleak and Manning doesn't describe how everyday people can take advantage of the credit card economy.

One major liability in this book (no pun intended) is that Manning repeatedly blames the credit card industry for putting so much effort into their marketing. It's true that the industry uses some sneaky techniques to get people to become lifelong subscription holders to their finance charges, but some of the industry's marketing can be used for consumer benefit.

Manning has a great angle on the social aspects of our spending society (from a Puritan savings mentality to a commercial spending mentality) and how it affects the separate classes (the system negatively affects the people who need it most while helping the people who need it least). His philosophy on the drawbacks of a culture that punishes production but rewards consumption should also be transferred to taxes as well as credit.

All in all, this is a thoroughly insightful book, which everyone should read.

JSBM
Author, How to Take Advantage of the People Who Are Trying to Take Advantage of You: 50 Ways to Capitalize on the System

Valuable information but the writing style is odd .......2007-05-28

I have no arguments with Prof. Manning's points, although I suppose I too was less than moved by the stories of college students who had to declare bankruptcy to pay for their bar tabs and expensive trips. I just didn't care about those predicaments all that much. But what I found less than valuable about this book was the writing style - as the professional reviewer said, it was not only filled with jargon, but in my opinion seems to have been written a few sentences at a time, with long gaps in between the writing sessions. The author continually repeats facts after several paragraphs, and treats the information as if we're hearing it for the first time. He even did this, oddly enough, in the same *paragraph* once - I did read the entire book because I liked the fifty or so pages of original material among the 250 other pages that repeated it. I also think he enjoyed using "big words" and convoluted sentences even when they hid the clarity of what he was trying to say - or, as he would put it, even when the obfuscation became peremptorily more insistent.

Scary stuff.......2006-11-06

A great overview of the precarious state of credit we've reached and how we got here. Good lessons for all: policy-makers, borrowers, lenders, college students.

A Morality Play?.......2005-09-15

Overall I felt that this book could have been, and should have been, much better. The ever-increasing level of credit-card debt is a real problem, as are the abuses of sub-prime lenders. But, the author's perception and description of the problem is often off, and the proposed solutions are inadequate.

The author offers a morality play in which the Merchants of Greed victimize both the poor and the middle class, while convincing users of convenience to think of themselves as more virtuous than the debt-ridden (even though their perks come at the expense of the less fortunate).

No doubt our ancestors would be horrified to watch us incur debt to buy a pair of shoes, fill the gas tank, or buy a restaurant meal. But, their horror would come from not from morality but from fear: in their time, mortgaging the farm often led to its loss, and mortgaging one's future income might lead to the poorhouse

Today there is a balance (which the author does not acknowledge) between easy credit (which leads some users to "max out") and restricted credit (which prevents most low-income people from obtaining a credit card). Speaking as one who lived for years on a near minimum-wage salary, I'd have to say that it was to my benefit to obtain a card, because (1) although I could not afford to own a car, I could occasionally afford to rent one; and (2) the Internet functions somewhat as Sears did 100 years ago in that if the local merchants charge too much, one has a ready alternative.

In this author's morality play credit merchants appear as the devil- and the devil's voice is advertising. Thus, welfare moms obtain bedroom sets they can't afford from Rent-A-Center because "it's hard not to succumb to the industry's aggressive marketing campaigns."

But, we're talking about adults, and there are alternatives. I did not buy entertainment products I could not afford and, when I could afford them but local merchants charged too much, I ordered through the mail (or,for more portable items, took a bus to a discount store). For furniture, I bought from a Salvation Army thrift store and hired a truck to take it home.

The point is not that I was more virtuous than a RAC customer, but (1) some people's lives are just too chaotic to plan more than a week or two ahead, and for these everything must be bought on credit because saving is impossible; and, (2) "have it now" and "it must be new" are very important values to RAC's customers. Government regulation cannot address either.

Regulation (the author's prime solution) can curb some of the worst abuses. For example, gaming commissions can forbid casino operators from locating ATMs inside the casino; payday lenders can be forbidden to roll over loans more than three times; credit card lenders can be required to set higher minimum payments (to shorten payback time).

Nonetheless, market forces and the creativity of lenders and merchants will defeat most well-meaning regulation. For example, Native American casinos can evade most state regulation, and the high price of credit is easily hidden in the price (or rent) of consumer goods. Indeed, rent-to-own was largely invented to evade state usury laws. Short of a government bureaucracy to establish maximum prices (and rents?) for everything what, exactly, would he do about this?

The author describes real problems. But, his insistence on seeing "Credit Card America" primarily as a morality play limits both his vision, and his range of possible solutions and remediations.

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