Barbara Ehrenreich: 'Bright-Sided'

Published: Nov. 12, 2009, 5 p.m.

Ehrenreich exposes the downside of America's penchant for positive thinking: On a personal level, it leads to self-blame and a morbid preoccupation with stamping out "negative" thoughts. On a national level, it's brought us an era of irrational optimism resulting in disaster.