Popular culture Books

Book SynopsisOver the years, Mondo has received global recognition for its incredible art posters that bring to life classic films, TV shows, and comics in a refreshing and utterly striking new way, offering a unique perspective on everything from Star Wars to Robocop, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, Game of Thrones, Godzilla, Kill Bill, and many, many more. For the first time, The Art of Mondo will bring together this much sought-after art in one deluxe volume that showcases the incredible ingenuity of the studio's diverse stable of artists whose vastly different styles are united by one guiding principle: limitless passion for their subject matter. This richly imaginative work is fueled by a love of pop culture that fans recognize and identify with, giving Mondo's output a rare and valuable synergy with its audience. While these posters are normally produced in a limited quantity and sell out in minutes, The Art of Mondo will allow fans to explore the studio's remarkable back catalog, including Olly Moss's iconic Star Wars trilogy work, Laurent Durieux's brilliantly subtle Jaws poster, and Tyler Stout's Guardians of the Galaxy art. Other key Mondo artists such as Jock, Martin Asin, and Aaron Horkey will also feature. Definitive, visually stunning, and filled with art that celebrates some of the biggest and best-loved properties in pop culture, The Art of Mondo will be the ultimate book for cult art fans everywhere.

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Book SynopsisIn this remarkable and entertaining book, John Perry gets to the heart of Hendrix's unique talent, guiding the reader through each song on the album, writing about his live performances and talking to peers and contemporaries. Part of a new series of short books about critically acclaimed and much-loved albums of the last 40 years.Trade Review... Perry is quite the raconteur. His blow-by-blow commentary on Hendrix and company's musical dialogue throughout the album's tracks leaps off the page like an epic martial arts battle. -- Joe Pettit * Ugly Things, Issue 25 *...engaging...Perry is an astute critic and someone who, as a musician, gives credibility to his commentary on the studio process. Best, he brings a fan's fervor to his revivification of a significant moment in Hendrix's three-plus year recording career... -- Mike Miliard * The Boston Phoenix, 7/8/04 *If you already have three Hendrix recordings (or 300) and are moving to by a fourth, take the $10 instead and pick up this nutshell book of how the his third studio album was made, by guitarist / writer Perry who lives in London and whose head seems screwed on pretty tight - he neither wanted to fuck Hendrix or compete with him, just love him. Midway [though] reading this little book you're going to be pulling off the shelf Paris 1966 Olympia Theater Live Recordings, if you know what's good for you, and play it loud. This is the best capsulized 100 or so pages ever written on the late & great ‘Jimmy James.' * Long House Publishers & Book Sellers, 2004 *...any fan of the Hendrix sound will consider it an essential guide. * The Bookwatch, September 2004 *This is actually two books in one: a track-by-track analysis of "Ladyland," heavy on guitar-geek esoteria like detuning and wah-wah technique (if you have to ask, don't bother), preceded by an overview of Hendrix's life and career around the time of the album. Which, since his career as a headliner lasted only four short years, makes for a pretty good introduction to rock's greatest plank-spanker * Austin American-Statesman, 10/17/04 *...an inspired new series...sleekly designed...good news for sentimental fools that just can't let go. -- Janet Steen * Details Magazine, Jan/Feb 04 *

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Book SynopsisThis is the first history of the Hippie Trail. It records the joys and pains of budget travel to Kathmandu, India, Afghanistan and other ‘points east’ in the 1960s and 1970s. Written in a clear, simple style, it provides detailed analysis of the motivations and the experiences of hundreds of thousands of hippies who travelled eastwards. The book is structured around four key debates: were the travellers simply motivated by a search for drugs? Did they encounter love or sexual freedom on the road? Were they basically just tourists? Did they resemble pilgrims? It also considers how the travellers have been represented in films, novels and autobiographical accounts, and will appeal to those interested in the Trail or the 1960s counterculture, as well as students taking courses relating to the 1960s.Trade Review‘[A] well-written, comprehensive volume, one that can equally serve classrooms, research, and the general reader interested in a fascinating chapter in this important era’Tom Fels, The Sixties, A Journal of History, Politics and Culture -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction: beginning the trail1 Drugs and the trail2 Sex and love on the road3 The hippie as tourist4 The hippie as pilgrim5 Representing the trail: Hideous Kinky and beyondEpilogue: ending the journeyIndex

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Book SynopsisManchester, its bands, its fashions, its attitude, has defined pop culture for the best part of four decades. Joy Division, The Fall, Buzzcocks, New Order, The Smiths, Happy Mondays, Stone Roses, Oasis. These were the bands that shaped two generations of teenagers and changed the course of pop music.Manchester: Looking for the Light through the Pouring Rain is a portrait of these individuals, the city, and their times. Whether it be on a rain-soaked stage in Brazil, a rented room in Whalley Range, or on the dancefloor of the legendary Hacienda, Kevin Cummins'' exquisite photographs capture the anarchic energy of the Manchester pop moment. This stunning visual record of the city and its pop history is complemented by four textual contributions from Paul Morley, Stuart Maconie, Gavin Martin and John Harris. What is it about that city that makes it the Memphis of the UK? Cummins'' photographic record of the past 30 years captures the highs, the lows and the transcendent pop mom

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Book SynopsisThis groundbreaking study examines Muslim female superheroes within a matrix of Islamic theology, feminism, and contemporary political discourse. Through a close reading of texts including Ms. Marvel, Qahera, and The 99, Sophia Rose Arjana argues that these powerful and iconic characters reflect independence and agency, reflecting the diverse lives of Muslim girls and women in the world today.Trade ReviewSophia Arjana’s book is my ideal balance of a popular-academic book. Academics are perpetually in search of that book which will be informative and scholarly as well as creative and fun: professor, that book has arrived. Using a refreshingly global, multi-stranded framework of religious studies, gender and women’s studies, cultural studies, and media studies, Dr. Arjana investigates the subversive up-ending of cultural power dynamics through the lens of visual media. Comic book superheroes are the perfect champions to interrogate outdated, wooden status quo of dominant majority cultures. And Muslim women superheroes are ideal protagonists to right wrongs and smash hegemonic stereotypes. Arjana shows how they battle for new paradigms like the heroes of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, fight-dancing atop towering yet teetering cultural tropes. -- Shabana Mir, associate professor of religion, American Islamic CollegeSophia Arjana’s meticulously researched book is a must read for anyone looking for a window into current realities of Muslim lived experiences and on-the-ground and symbolic practices of resistance against islamophobia and objectification. Self- and other-rescuing female Muslim superheroes reclaiming symbols, their bodies, and their faith are part of the real, complex, diverse lived experiences of struggle and grass roots Islamic social justice work of Muslimah around the world. Arjana makes accessible the public pedagogy of graphic novels, and presents us with the kind of anti-colonial, feminist, liberational partners of which we need legion in our times. -- Heike Peckruhn, assistant professor of religious studies, Daemen CollegeWorking at the intersection of religion, popular culture, and gender studies, Sophia Arjana explores comics’ complex and compelling representations of Muslim women, beyond sexualized stereotypes. Drawing on examples from the famous (Ms. Marvel) to the little known (Bloody Nasreen), Veiled Superheroes situates characters in their diverse national environments while analyzing globally relevant issues of agency, imperialism, and power. -- Kecia Ali, Boston University, professor of religion, Boston UniversityThis is an invigorating, lively, and original book which will have a broad appeal in a number of academic fields including Cultural, Gender, and Islamic Studies. Examining a diverse set of the representations of Muslims in contemporary comics and animation, Sophia Rose Arjana provides lucid analytical insights on the intricate relationships between popular culture, identity, sociality, and reigning political dynamics. Her project brings the subversive and innovative genre of Muslimah Superheroes into a creative and engaged conversation with Islamic feminism and Sufism, all the while proving that erudite academic work can also be exciting and fun to read! -- Sadiyya Shaikh, associate professor of religious studies, University of Cape TownTable of ContentsForeword- Wajahat Ali Introduction 1. Muslim Women in Western Popular Culture 2. The Muslim Body, Veiling, and Contestations of Islam 3. Ms. Marvel, Islam, and America 4. Burka Avenger and the Subversive Veil 5. Qahera, Raat, Bloody Nasreen, and the Vigilante Superhero Conclusion: Islamic Feminism and Muslim Chivalry

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of Amazon's Best Books of 2020 in Business and Leadership""Honorable Mention for the Distinguished Scholarly Publication Award, Consumers and Consumption Section of the American Sociological Association""Fascinating."---Helen Rosner, New Yorker"The most colourful investigation into nightlife and gender politics since Gloria Steinem went incognito as a Playboy Bunny in 1963."---Mark Smith, The Times"Riveting. . . . The results of her investigation are astonishing. Mears has amassed pages of enthralling, richly human testimony. . . . The anecdotes are hugely entertaining, in a throw-up-in-your-mouth way. . . . Mears’s thesis—that nightclubs aren’t exceptions to ‘real life,’ but a distilled, brutal caricature of it—gathers strength as the details accumulate. . . . Elegantly written and genuinely page-turning, with revelations about life that go far beyond nightclubs."---Iona McLaren, Daily Telegraph"Mears is a very good reporter. . . . A fascinating read."---Lynn Barber, The Spectator"Riveting. . . . Mears is an excellent storyteller, resulting in a book that’s well-informed and critical but also animated and engaging." * Tatler *"Very Important People was written before the coronavirus pandemic, but Covid-19 makes it more relevant. Lockdown has widened inequality as poorer households lose jobs and rely on their savings. Meanwhile, the rich are getting richer, leading to pent up demand for parties, girls and bottle trains among those who have already missed a season of it."---Ollie Williams, Forbes"Very Important People depicts a complex world of exchange and exploitation, and warrants praise for doing so without passing predictable moral judgement. More than offering a mere window into the exotic lives of others, Ashley Mears emphasizes themes that should resonate with us all: the labour of marginalized others that lurks behind so much status-seeking consumption, the risks of conflating work with fun and friendship, and the sad fact that 'girl power' remains as oxymoronic as ever."---Alice Bloch, Times Literary Supplement"Enlightening. . . . A fascinating glimpse into life behind the velvet rope."---Matthew Partridge, Money Week"Compelling, vivid and curiously poignant. . . . Very Important People succeeds in exposing the intriguing and often distressing realities of a culture whose values seem both alien and unpleasantly persistent."---Lisa Hilton, The Critic"Mears takes her readers inside the exclusive global nightclub and party circuit, from New York City to Miami and Saint-Tropez, in order to reveal a world constituted by spectacular displays of wealth."---Laurie Taylor, BBC Radio 4, Thinking Allowed"Throughout the seven chapters of the book, Mears dissects the economy of “ models and bottles ” (p. 17), or the formula by which we designate those parties in which the super rich display their power by attending models and making flaunting their wealth by wasting money and buying many bottles at exorbitant prices.”"---Giulia Mensitieri, La Vie Des Idees

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Book SynopsisRoute 66 Adventure Handbook is your personal guide to the vanishing American roadside, with all of its exuberance, splendor, and absurdity. For this updated and expanded sixth edition, Drew Knowles has included it all: magnificent architecture, natural wonders, Art Deco masterpieces, vintage motels and cafes, unique museums, offbeat attractions, fascinating artifacts and icons, and kitschy tourist traps. The addition of more city maps, showing the multiple paths of Route 66 and displaying the exact locations of points of interest, is a major improvement over the already critically acclaimed fifth edition of the book. The sixth edition also includes hundreds of beautiful new photographs—including a 24-page center insert with stunning color photos and the addition of dozens of new attractions. Knowles has also added QR codes for certain locations that will enable the reader to access additional online material, such as more photos, video clips, and scans of vintage memorabilia. Additionally, GPS coordinates have been included for virtually all of the photos, so that travelers can plug the information into their smartphones and other navigation devices and instantly determine where each photo was taken and compare it to the condition of that particular site at the time of their visit. Filled with wonderfully quirky side trips and fun bits of trivia, Route 66 Adventure Handbook is the most authoritative resource for anyone looking to explore the Mother Road. Fasten your seat belts!Trade Review“Just when you think you know all there is to know about the most famous roadway in America, along comes this expanded edition of Drew Knowles’s phenomenal guidebook with more offbeat attractions, a host of vintage motels and cafés, and a plethora of fascinating historical (and apocryphal) anecdotes. His book makes a great read, whether or not you have ever put your pedal to the metal.”—Newsday “As readers and travelers, we found the Route 66 Adventure Handbook the best of its class. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler of Route 66 or gearing up for your first adventure, this book is a must-have. Drew Knowles doesn’t just guide you along Route 66; he ensures you savor every bit of its storied path.”—RoadTrip America “If you want to tap into a wealth of useful and fascinating Route 66 knowledge, you need to buy this book. . . . Essential for every bona fide Road Warrior.”—Michael Wallis, author of Route 66: The Mother Road “Don’t leave your driveway without it.”—Road & Track “Route 66 Adventure Handbook shows how travelers can still get their kicks on America’s iconic road. . . . Route 66 Adventure Handbook provides a map of what’s left of the road and its charms. . . . Knowles highlights odd facts and off-the-beaten-track attractions.”—New York Daily News “Anyone who wants to turn Route 66 into the next great road trip should bring along Drew Knowles’s extensive and downright fun guide. . . . Quirky side trips are what make Route 66 still popular today and are what set Knowles’s guidebook apart from others.”—The Mercury News “An uncommonly detailed and helpful handbook to guide drivers exploring unmarked stretches of the fabled U.S. Highway 66. . . . It definitely belongs in the library of every Route 66 fan. It also belongs in the glove box when armchair travelers take to the road.”―Mary Kate Tripp, book editor, Amarillo Globe-News “Reading this book is like downing five energy drinks. It's exhilarating, like flooring the pedal someplace between Kingman and Seligman, Arizona. So fast and frequent are the Mother Road highlights, you can hardly keep up with the pace. No wonder the author, Drew Knowles, calls it the 'high-octane' edition. It'll leave you breathless―and ready to drop the top and roll.”―American Road magazine “Drew Knowles has written a Route 66 travel guide for those with a sense of adventure. He makes the reader want to be a detective. The commentary about sights to see along the way is particularly helpful.”―Tom Teague, executive director, Illinois State Historical Society “Drew Knowles has crafted a much-needed addition to the literature of the Mother Road. In the Route 66 Adventure Handbook, he takes us on a complete tour of lesser-known but fascinating icons and attractions, from one end of the great highway to the other. Add to the mix a strong flavor of historical facts and anecdotes, and it becomes a book no 66er should be without.”―Jim Ross, author of Oklahoma Route 66 “If you read and use this guide, there is a very good chance you will change your attitude towards motoring. Rather than simply driving to a location, your trip will become the destination.”―David Knudson, executive director, National Historic Route 66 Federation “There are a few reasons to buy a book: to add to your collection, to read, and/or to use. The Route 66 Adventure Handbook fills all three categories. Whereas a map shows you how to get from one place to another, this book tells you why you want to go from place to place. It is just as important in planning a trip as any map―maybe more so.”―James M. Conkle, executive director, California Route 66 Preservation Foundation “If seeing Cars has gotten you yearning for a journey down America’s highway, then the new expanded edition of Drew Knowles’s Route 66 Adventure Handbook is your perfect guide, detailing the roadside attractions, motels, eateries, and natural wonders that will make your trip one to remember.”―QuickStopEntertainment.com “After I saw Cars, I toyed with the idea of doing a road trip on Route 66, as it was so wonderfully depicted in the movie. Then I realized we don’t have a vehicle that could even get us as far as Barstow. But then, the next best thing arrived on my desk: Route 66 Adventure Handbook, the updated and expanded edition, by Drew Knowles. Organized in an easy-to-read way, the writing is fun and informative. I had no idea, for instance, that Route 66―once the main road going from Chicago to Los Angeles―was replaced by five modern highways.”―Contra Costa Times “The release of the movie Cars has certainly increased interest in Route 66, the classic ‘Mother Road’ pre-Interstate highway that stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles. Though the road no longer officially exists in the U.S. highway lexicon, many of the tourist sights, motels, and roadside diners along the way have been preserved. Knowles’s fifth edition offers insights into offbeat roadside attractions, vintage motels and cafés, natural wonders, and quirky side trips. The book covers a town-by-town description of Route 66 in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, as well as the history of the road and how to find it in places where it might have disappeared. Don’t expect to find the Cars town of Radiator Springs, however. It is a fictional amalgamation of many Route 66 places.”―Salt Lake Tribune

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Book SynopsisA rich collection of interviews, essays and full-colour illustrations from the testosterone-heavy 35-cent men's magazines that were created to help veterans confront the realities of the Cold War.

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Book SynopsisAnd what, exactly is 'this'. In On the Road Bike, Ned Boulting asks how Britain became so obsessed with cycling.Trade ReviewFunny, fascinating and frequently touching ... will be enjoyed by anyone with even a passing interest in cycling. No bib shorts required -- Helen Pidd * Guardian *Don't expect to read a better sports book this year. Funny, serious, quirky, hard hitting. -- Brendan GallagherQuirky, insightful, soulful. Could be subtitled 'cyclists are odd - discuss' -- Matt Dickinson * @DickinsonTimes *It's very funny, surprisingly insightful and features telling observations from a litany of engaging personalities along with Ned's amusing take on his own cycling experiences * Wheelsuckers *Boulting is a delightful narrator, amusingly preoccupied by his own middle-class roots * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisExplore all that Vulcan has to offer in an interactive guidebook. Drawing on 50 years of Star Trek TV shows, films, and novels to present a comprehensive guide to Spock's iconic home world, it covers every significant region, with historical, geographical, and cultural insights that bring the planet to life. Illustrated with classic Star Trek imagery and original illustrations. The perfect way to celebrate 50 years of Star Trek.

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Book SynopsisCulture Smart guides help travellers have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.Trade ReviewCulture Smart! has come to the rescue of hapless travellers...' Sunday Times Travel, ' the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries.' Global Travel, ' full of fascinating, as well as common sense, tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas.' Observer, ' as useful as they are entertaining.' Easy Jet Magazine, ' offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world.' New York TimesTable of ContentsBrief History Politics - Economic Life Traditions - Friendships & Family Relationships Bureaucracy Religion Humour - Local Holidays Taboos Invitations Gifts Dress - Business etiquette - Punctuality & Appointments - Team working Communication Negotiating - Women in Society Tips - Eating Out - Traditional Food - Dos and Don t - Making Friends

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Book SynopsisFew urban critters are more reviled than the hipster. They are notoriously difficult to define, and yet we know one when we see one. No wonder: they were among the global cultural phenomena that ushered in the 21st century. They have become a bulwark of mainstream culture, cultural commodity, status, butt of all jokes and ready-made meme. But frightening as it is to imagine, for more than a century hipsters have been lurking among us. Defined by their appearances and the cloud of meaning attached to them—the cool vanguard of gentrification, the personification of capitalism with a conscience—hipsters are all looks, and these looks are a visual timeline to America’s past and present. Underlining this timeline is the pattern of American popular culture’s love/hate/theft relationship with Black culture. Yet the pattern of recycling has reached a chilling point: the 21st century hipster made all possible past fads into new trends, including and especially the old uncool. In Decolonize Hipsters, Grégory Pierrot gives us a field guide to the phenomenon, a symptom and vanguard of the wave of aggressive white supremacist sentiment now oozing from around the globe.Trade Review“Ever since Norman Mailer styled himself as a 'White Negro' and Anatole Broyard passed as a white jazz fan, the hipster has been a subject of fascination in cultural criticism, a symbol of the love and theft at the heart of American popular culture. Grégory Pierrot's fiercely illuminating short book dissects the political complacency and racial delusions of hipsterism, but it does so with a verve, swagger and irreverence. Pierrot provides us not only an anatomy of hipsterism's past, but a vision of its possible future. ” —Adam Shatz, editor of Prophets Outcast “Decolonize Hipsters, the opening salvo in a new series of handbooks, places hipsters at the vanguard of a movement that starts with gentrification but ends with gifting Trump the White House and giving rise and misguided succour to white supremacists… Quoting Karl Marx through to Lemmy from Motorhead, Pierrot fleshes out the essence of modern hipsterdom and its pernicious contemporary manifestations…. In your face for all the right reasons, it’s full of fun and thoughtful facts, interesting anecdotes and parallels that all lead in the same direction—how hipsters steal, suck up and squander what they should hold dear… A quick and thought-provoking read that eloquently sets an agenda, justifies it, and demands that action is taken.” —Morning Star

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Book SynopsisCulture Smart guides help travellers have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.Trade ReviewCulture Smart! has come to the rescue of hapless travellers...' Sunday Times Travel, ' the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries.' Global Travel, ' full of fascinating, as well as common sense, tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas.' Observer, ' as useful as they are entertaining.' Easy Jet Magazine, ' offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world.' New York TimesTable of ContentsBrief History Politics - Economic Life Traditions - Friendships & Family Relationships Bureaucracy Religion Humour - Local Holidays Taboos Invitations Gifts Dress - Business etiquette - Punctuality & Appointments - Team working Communication Negotiating - Women in Society Tips - Eating Out - Traditional Food - Dos and Don t - Making Friends

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Book SynopsisFrom computer games to figurines and maid cafes, men called “otaku” develop intense fan relationships with “cute girl” characters from manga, anime, and related media and material in contemporary Japan. While much of the Japanese public considers the forms of character love associated with “otaku” to be weird and perverse, the Japanese government has endeavored to incorporate “otaku” culture into its branding of “Cool Japan.” In Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan, Patrick W. Galbraith explores the conflicting meanings of “otaku” culture and its significance to Japanese popular culture, masculinity, and the nation. Tracing the history of “otaku” and “cute girl” characters from their origins in the 1970s to his recent fieldwork in Akihabara, Tokyo (“the Holy Land of Otaku”), Galbraith contends that the discourse surrounding “otaku” reveals tensions aTrade Review“In this tremendous book, Patrick W. Galbraith brings to life the relatively unknown world of Japanese popular culture. His voice shines throughout thoughtful interviews, detailed ethnography, sensitive portraits of people characterized as ‘otaku,’ and nuanced readings of videogames and interactive fiction. An impressive contribution to the field of manga and anime studies.” -- Ian Condry, author of * The Soul of Anime: Collaborative Creativity and Japan’s Media Success Story *“This book offers nothing less than a thorough rethinking of normative sexuality and alternative sexualities through the figure of the otaku and their practices. It's everything that the fields of Japan studies, queer theory, and media history need at this moment. A virtually flawless and captivating read.” -- Marc Steinberg, author of * Anime’s Media Mix: Franchising Toys and Characters in Japan *"This thoughtful investigation of hegemonic masculinity and its alternatives at the margins of imagination is well-sourced with cultural and academic research as well as personal experience." -- R. Tait-Ripperdan * Choice *“Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan is a meticulously researched book...[and] a strong contribution to the field of Japanese popular culture.” -- Emma E. Cook * Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute *“This is an excellent and thought-provoking text which will no doubt take its rightful place in the canon of manga, anime, and otaku studies. . . . The narrative [Galbraith] weaves contains just the right amount of academic theoretical discourse, reflections on his personal involvement in the movement, more as a participant than as a participant observer, and a solid history of Japanese (sub-)culture over the last 50 years.” -- Holger Briel * Japanese Studies *Table of ContentsDedication / Acknowledgments ix Introduction. "Otaku" and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan 1 1. Seeking an Alternative: "Male Sōjo Fans since the 1970s 20 2. "Otaku" Research and Reality Problems 49 3. Moe: An Affective Response to Fictional Characters 76 4. Akihabara: "Otaku" and Contested Imaginaries in Japan 127 5. Maid Cafés: Relations with Fictional and Real Others in Spaces Between 184 Conclusion. Eshi 100: The Politics of Japanese, "Otaku," Popular Culture in Akihabara and Beyond 227 Notes 261 Bibliography 289 Index 311

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Book Synopsis321 surprising facts about flora and fauna, language, famous people, our planet earth and much more.Table of Contents1. Animals galore • 2. The Incredible Human Body • 3. Sport is Good for You (most of the time) • 4. (In)famous Faces • 5. A Journey through History • 6. Our Beautiful Planet • 7. All Around the World • 8. The Wonderful World of Science • 9. Words and Language • 10. Adventures in Botany • 11. Food, Glorious Food • 12. To Infinity and Beyond

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Book SynopsisGudetama Cross-Stitch combines cross-stitching fun with 30 easy-to-follow patterns inspired by everyone's favorite lazy egg with the can't-be-bothered attitude. Gudetama’s name literally translates to “lazy egg,” and it’s how we all feel sometimes when it comes to, well, pretty much anything. But if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t have time for complicated crafts or dealing with other people, then this collection of 30 Gudetama-inspired designs are just for you. First, you’ll learn cross-stitching basics including tools and techniques and how to read a cross-stitch chart. Then you’ll apply your new skills to a range of hilarious and lovable patterns organized into chapters like Lazy, Medium-Lazy, and Pay Attention—depending on how sluggish or motivated you’re feeling. Finally, you’ll be able to apply your masterpieces to projects like gift tags, greeting cards, and orna

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Book Synopsis Isaac Asimov’s Foundation is the most influential science-fiction epic of all time. Published as a series of books and short stories from the 1940s to the 1980s, the series has impacted most subsequent science fiction, and influenced sciences like sociology, statistics, and psychology. The story has now been made into a highly acclaimed TV serial (Foundation), on Apple TV, the second season now shooting in Prague. The story begins 45,000 years in the future, and spans centuries in which a vast and successful interstellar human empire is unknowingly headed for total collapse. Using an advanced mathematical technique called psycho-history, a brilliant scientist, Hari Seldon, predicts the collapse and establishes a “foundation” to bring about the resurrection of human civilization many generations in the future.Asimov’s Foundation and Philosophy is a collection of twenty-four chapter by philosophers exploring the philosophical issues and puzzles raised by this epic story. Topics include whether one individual can make a big difference in history, the ethics of manipulating large populations of people to bring about a desirable future result, the Dao of non-action, the impact of education on future generations, whether human affairs are governed by predictable cycles, whether attempts to plan for the future must be thwarted by free will, the futility of empire-building, the ethics of cloning human beings, and the use of logic in analyzing human behavior.Joshua Heter teaches philosophy at Jefferson College, Missouri, and is co-editor of Better Call Saul and Philosophy: I Think Therefore I Scam (2022).Josef Thomas Simpson is an academic coach and part-time lecturer. He contributed chapters to Westworld and Philosophy: Mind Equals Blown (2019) and Orphan Black and Philosophy: Grand Theft DNA (2016).Trade ReviewIsaac Asimov (January 2, 1920 - April 6, 1992) was an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. During his lifetime, Asimov was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke. A prolific writer, he wrote or edited more than 500 books. He also wrote an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. Best known for his hard science fiction, Asimov also wrote mysteries and fantasy, as well as much non-fiction. (Wikipedia) Simply stated, novelist Isaac Asimov's Foundation trilogy is arguably the most influential science-fiction epic of all time. Published as a series of books and short stories from the 1940s to the 1980s, the series has impacted most subsequent science fiction, and influenced sciences like sociology, statistics, and psychology. The story has now been made into a highly acclaimed TV serial (Foundation), on Apple TV, the second season now shooting in Prague. The story begins 45,000 years in the future, and spans centuries in which a vast and successful interstellar human empire is unknowingly headed for total collapse. Using an advanced mathematical technique called psycho-history, a brilliant scientist, Hari Seldon, predicts the collapse and establishes a "foundation" to bring about the resurrection of human civilization many generations in the future. Asimov's Foundation and Philosophy is a collection of twenty-four chapter by philosophers exploring the philosophical issues and puzzles raised by this epic story. Topics include whether one individual can make a big difference in history, the ethics of manipulating large populations of people to bring about a desirable future result, the Dao of non-action, the impact of education on future generations, whether human affairs are governed by predictable cycles, whether attempts to plan for the future must be thwarted by free will, the futility of empire-building, the ethics of cloning human beings, and the use of logic in analyzing human behavior. Critique: Of special appeal to the legions of Isaac Asimov fans, and deftly co-edited by the team of Joshua Heter and Josef Thomas Simpson, "Asimov's Foundation and Philosophy" is a compendium of twenty-three erudite and inherently interesting articles on the impact of the Foundation series on popular culture, introducing the concept of 'psychohistory'. Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an eight page Bibliography, a four page listing of the contributors and their credentials (The Encyclopedists), and a three page Index, "Asimov's Foundation and Philosophy" is a significant and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Popular Culture & Philosophy collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Asimov's Foundation and Philosophy" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99). Editorial Note #1: Joshua Heter (https://philpeople.org/profiles/joshua-heter) teaches philosophy at Jefferson College, Missouri, and is co-editor of Better Call Saul and Philosophy: I Think Therefore I Scam (2022). Editorial Note #2: Josef Thomas Simpson (https://philpeople.org/profiles/josef-thomas-simpson) is an academic coach and part-time lecturer. He contributed chapters to Westworld and Philosophy: Mind Equals Blown (2019) and Orphan Black and Philosophy: Grand Theft DNA (2016).

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis book, supported by relevant fieldwork and interviews, is a thoughtful discussion of the role of entertainment journalism in circulating, inspiring, expanding, and sometimes simplifying and sensationalizing political discourses...Penney's insightful dissection of entertainment, politics, and journalism is deeply illuminating. * Choice *Students will recognize the journalism and the political landscape described in this book. With discussions and interviews that address #MeToo, #OscarsSoWhite, and other debates that have been brought to the public via entertainment journalism, Pop Culture, Politics, and the News will remind readers that entertainment journalism is politically significant and that representation matters. I can't wait to use this book in journalism and media studies classes. * Lynn Schofield Clark, Director of the Estlow International Center for Journalism and New Media, University of Denver *Are the political battles of the twenty-first century being won on the playing fields of popular culture? That certainly seems to be a credible claim in our era of polarized social media in which public attention seems monopolized by the weapons of mass distraction. Entertainment journalism as a shaper and reflection of contemporary life receives a long overdue examination in this theoretically nuanced and empirically grounded study. * Larry Gross, Professor of Communication, University of Southern California *In this engagingly written and insightful book, Joel Penney addresses a dire need in the field by making a compelling case for the centrality of entertainment journalism as part of today's political communication landscape. Integrating the viewpoints of entertainment journalists from both left and right and the audiences who actively engage with their content, this book is a must-read for those seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the nexus of popular culture and politics today. * Neta Kligler-Vilenchik, Associate Professor of Communication and Journalism, Hebrew University of Jerusalem *Joel Penney offers compelling arguments for why 'soft news' should not be written off as frivolous or as having little public value, while also illuminating the potential dangers of conveying heated political issues via for-profit, click-bait-oriented entertainment journalism. Based on interviews with journalists and audiences, this insightful book will inspire lively class discussions about the colliding political and cultural spheres of our contemporary news media environment. * Regina Marchi, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, Rutgers University *Table of ContentsDedication Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1: Why Pop Culture News Matters: Theorizing and Historicizing Entertainment Journalism as Political Communication Chapter 2: Progressing Hollywood: Left-Wing Entertainment Journalism and the Push for Diversity and Accountability Chapter 3: Pop Culture Warriors: Right-Wing Entertainment Journalism and the Fight Against "Big Hollywood" Chapter 4: Hot Takes and Clickbait: The Impact of Commercialism on the Pop Culture-Politics Beat Chapter 5: Trending Outrage: How Social Media Impacts the Work of Journalists at the Pop Culture-Politics Nexus Chapter 6: Pop Culture News as a Bridge to Politics? Exploring the Audience Perspective Chapter 7: Conclusion: Assessing the Public Value of Journalism at the Pop Culture-Politics Nexus Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisHorror Unmasked offers a general introduction to the popular film genre, serves as a guidebook to its film highlights, and celebrates its practitioners, trends, and stories.Trade Review"Considering the massive scope, this photobook is surprisingly succinct, informative, and helpful as an overview of horror films." -- Kevin Howell * Library Journal *"Well-researched text and quality film poster art make for great, spooky bed-time reading." * Creammagazine.com *"...will be sure to keep new horror fans up at night...an admirable effort that will undoubtedly give a budding horror fan a ton of fun homework." * MovieJawn.com *“…a great history of horror that spans both time and the globe…allows readers to find plenty of great recommendations and learn why these horror films are important to the legacy of the genre. Context is king, and Horror Unmasked lives up to its billing of providing a history of terror from Nosferatu to Nope.” * ComingSoon.net *"...an introspective examination of the films, filmmakers, and regions that have created and continue to influence the modern horror genre, Horror Unmasked is one history that you should own." -- Nick Banks * ConSkipper *"Horror Unmasked: A History of Terror from Nosferatu to Nope is an excellent book. It addresses the horror film genre from a comfortable and accessible direction, providing a wide-ranging and extensive overview of the genre. Fans of horror cinema, old and new, will want to own this book and display it prominently in their collection." * Cemetary Dance *“Horror Unmasked” is not just a book for avid horror fans; it’s a comprehensive and highly illustrated exploration of the genre’s history dissected by an author who is not only an expert but also a passionate enthusiast. * Colorado Hometown Weekly *"This beautifully constructed 200+ page hardcover book encapsulates an extensive and comprehensive timeline of horror's history on film. As a reading experience, think about walking down the blood-soaked museum halls and terrorizing wings of the genre in every decade and then exploring the significance and impact movement of the sub-genre collections of styles (i.e. slasher, found footage, possession) within them. All with Weisman acting as your expert voice and tour guide." * The Reel Vision *Table of ContentsWORLD MAP OF HORROR INTRODUCTION SHADOWY SILENCE Horror Before Sound BROWNING AND CHANEY The Father of Freaks and the Man of a Thousand Faces MONSTER CENTRAL The Great Horror Cycles Begin CRANKING OUT THE CREEPIES Horror in the 1930s and 1940s VAL LEWTON AND THE TERRORS OF THE UNSEEN ATOMIC-AGE MONSTERS The Sci-Fi/Horror Boom BLOOD AND BOSOMS The Success of Hammer Horror THE MOMENT OF SHOCK Psycho and Peeping Tom THE CORMAN POES AND THE PEERLESS VINCENT PRICE HORROR, ITALIAN STYLE ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE, 1960–1975 BLOODY ENGLAND Hammer’s Competitors THE SLEEP OF REASON Horror in Spanish GODZILLA & CO Far East Horror in Transition POLANSKI, COFFIN JOE, AND OTHERS CLARK, CRAVEN, CARPENTER, AND CRONENBERG MAINSTREAM HORROR OR: BRING THE KIDS! J- AND K-HORROR, AND OTHER ASIAN ENTRIES THE PROBLEM OF TORTURE PORN ZOMBIES! THERE’S USUALLY A GORILLA Horror-Comedies MASTERS FOR A NEW MILLENNIUM IS HORROR LEGIT? POST-HORROR AND BEYOND GLOSSARY Subgenres of Horror NOTES IMAGE CREDITS BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Book SynopsisThe 90s were an exciting time to be a gamer as most of the hard work had already been done by the pioneering developers during the 70s and 80s, meaning talented coders were able to take these existing themes and ideas and build upon them. As a result some of the greatest games of all time came from this halcyon period including Super Mario World, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Streetfighter II: The World Warrior. That being said the 90s were a transitional period as well, as 3-D gaming started to become the norm and many systems moved over to formats like CD-ROM. The 90s were also a time when home computer gaming was on the wane as more and more gamers were turning towards exciting new consoles that were coming out, including Sony PlayStation which would not only shake up the industry but help shape it into what we enjoy today. With that in mind this new book is dedicated to the greatest games that were available to play during this amazing decade, from the aforementioned of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to Super Mario World, Tomb Raider and the excellent Ridge Racer so...get ready for a serious nostalgia hit.

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Book SynopsisThe third-largest country in Latin America, Mexico is hugely diverse, having both rural backwaters where time seems to have stood still and manic urban centers like Mexico City, one of the most densely populated and exciting cities in the world. This complex and fascinating country is where European and American civilizations first clashed. The repercussions of the meeting in 1519 between the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes and the Aztec Emperor Montezuma II, and the subsequent devastation wrought by the Spanish conquest, is still felt today. Culture Smart! Mexico takes you to the heart of Mexican society and introduces you to the proud, spiritual, dynamic, fatalistic, and fun-loving people who call this country home. It describes how people socialize, the dynamics of daily life, the importance of family, and the annual cycle of feasts and fiestas. There's advice on how to negotiate a Mexican menu, as well as information on traveling safely, communicating, and provides you with the tools to make the most of your time in Mexico.Trade Review""Culture Smart! has come to the rescue of hapless travellers," - Sunday Times Travel;""...the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries," - Global Travel;"...full of fascinating, as well as common sense, tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas," - Observer;"...as useful as they are entertaining," - Easy Jet Magazine;"...as useful as they are entertaining," - Easy Jet Magazine"Table of ContentsKey History - Politics - Economic Life - Values - Attitudes - Religion - Traditions - Taboos - Festivals & Holidays - Friendships & Family - Women in Society - Humour - Hospitality & Home life - Cultural Life - Cuisine & Dining Out - Socializing - Dos and Don'ts - Business Etiquette - Punctuality & Time Keeping - Meetings & Presentations - Negotiating - Bureaucracy - Communication & Language - Tips

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Book Synopsis*** WINNER OF INTERNATIONAL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2023 ***''fascinating, informative and revealing'' Mail on SundayBeloved bestselling author and golf aficionado Rick Reilly channels his insatiable curiosity, trademark sense of humour, and vast knowledge of the game of golf in 80 original pieces about what it has meant to him and to others, and all the reasons we love it.This is the book Rick Reilly has been writing in the back of his head since he fell in love with the game of golf at eleven years old. He unpacks and explores all of the wonderful, maddening, heart-melting, heart-breaking, cool, and captivating things about golf that make the game so utterly addictive. We meet the PGA Tour player who robbed banks by night to pay his motel bills, the golf club maker who takes weekly psychedelic trips, and the caddy who kept his loop even after an 11-year prison stint. We leTrade ReviewAn informative, enjoyable romp. * Kirkus Reviews *[So Help Me Golf] features Reilly's usual hilarious story-telling with a kinder, gentler, more grateful tone. * Sports Illustrated *Former Sports Illustrated and ESPN man Reilly has always had the knack of unearthing great anecdotes that reveal the golfer and of also putting those tales together in fast-paced and funny narratives - So Help Me Golf is a romp that maintains all those trends. * Planet Sport *This book is Reilly's heartfelt ode to the game: a bulging collection of sharp and snappy snippets... His usual wit and charm is in abundance, but what actually keeps you turning is just how fascinating, informative and revealing it all is. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThe world is full of books about how to be rich. This is not one of them.Today, many of us are feeling the pinch - and being bombarded with portrayals of social media ''perfection'' is making that pinch feel more like a punch.We may know that social media - with all its billionaires and beauty queens - is just a highlight reel. So why is it still making most of us feel so low?Comedian Shabaz Ali wants to help you see the funny side of social media again. Because while it looks nice to live up in an ivory tower, this book reminds us that it is much more fun to be part of the baying mob that surrounds it.This laugh-out-loud deep-dive into social media''s ridiculously rich, will help you love your own penny-pinched, rough-around-the-edges, extraordinarily ordinary life.

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Book SynopsisDiscusses how the depiction of diseases in movies has changed over the last century and what these changes reveal about American culture

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Book SynopsisEver since the premiere for the first Mickey Mouse cartoon in 1928, Disney has played a central role in American popular culture, which has progressively expanded to include a global market. The company positioned itself to be a central role in family entertainment, and many of its offerings – from films to consumable products – have deeply embedded themselves into not only the imaginations of children and adults, but also into the threads of one’s life experience. It is difficult to go through life without encountering one Disney product. Because of this, fans of Disney build connections with their favourite characters and franchises, some of which are fuelled further by Disney’s own marketing practices. Similarly, Disney responds to the cultural values of the era through its films and other media offerings. In this volume, scholars from varying backgrounds take a close look at facets of the Disney canon as more than agents of entertainment or consumption, and into underlying messages at the very heart of the Disney phenomenon: the cultural response that drives the corporation’s massive production and marketing machine. The relationship between Disney and its fans is one of loyalty and love, shaping cultural behaviours and values through the brand and its products. Disney responds in kind with a synergistic approach that makes it possible to experience Disney in any format at any given time. Primary readership will be academics, researchers, educators, scholars and students working in the fields of media and cultural studies, especially those interested in marketing and branding, and in the Disney Company in general. The accessible writing style and the range of topics covered make it suitable for postgraduate students and academics working in these fields, as well as third-year undergraduate students. The book will also appeal to academics working in the related fields of tourism studies, film and television studies and, given the focus of some of the chapters, in gender studies. Although academic in focus, the accessible writing style does mean that it may also have appeal to the non-academic reader and fans of Disney.Trade Review'[The] idea that [Disney] should continually renew itself to be in dialogue with the vagaries and vicissitudes of contemporary society is a throughline in the chapters that comprise Interpreting and Experiencing Disney: Mediating the Mouse, edited by Priscilla Hobbs. The volume is a welcome addition to this corpus, as many of its essays feel specific to 2020s America, a period of enormous flux and introspection characterized by popular protests and the removal of outdated statues. The book will interest scholars in the humanities and social sciences and the general public. One of the virtues of Hobbs’ volume is its concentrated focus, as many of the chapters feel connected. [...] In sum, this book is a significant contribution to Disney studies in that its authors point to the dialogical relationship Disney has historically had with American and European society. Like the Disney Company itself, Disney studies is presented as in constant evolution.' -- Noah Zweig, International Journal of Communication'Recommended - Upper-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.' -- CHOICETable of ContentsIntroduction Part 1: Interpreting Disney Abbreviating Mickey Mouse: The art of remediation in Disney cartoons ‘You grow up to be a Duck fan in your mother’s womb': The bond between Finnish people and Donald Duck Toad, Alice, and Peter: From England to Disneyland and back again Egalitarian or stereotypical?: Gender representation in Disney feature fairy tales of the twenty-first century Father still knows best: Exploring the construction of traditional masculinity as depicted in portrayals of fatherhood in Disney Princess movies Poisoned apples: Womanhood in Disney’s Snow White A rhetoric of classism and reading cultures in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Part 2: Experiencing Disney ‘Our cartoon city upon a hill’: Disneyland, Disney World, and American identity Can Small World ever be politically correct? Reading the Disney Princess attractions: Narrative adaptation, immersion, and control in the Magic Kingdom’s expanded fantasyland Online brand communities: A case study of Disney I’m Disney bound: Costuming as psycho-spiritual practice A journey from girl to womanhood: The influence of Disney Princess fashion on the female gender

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“We don’t know as much about affluent people as we think we do. Caricatures abound, but the socioeconomically lucky don’t often offer themselves up for study. That all changed with Rachel Sherman’s Uneasy Street. . . . With each reading, I’m a little more unsettled, in the best possible way.”—Ron Lieber, New York Times“There have been many cogent analyses of income inequality. Sociologist Rachel Sherman’s welcome addition probes the psychology and socio-economics of affluence.”—Barb Kiser, Nature“Sherman takes a dispassionate approach to find out how those who are `benefitting from rising economic inequality’ experience `their own social advantages.’ She elicits her subjects’ thoughts about work and productivity, charitable giving, marital discord and more. Worthwhile humanizing ensues, as do plenty of squirm-inducing moments.”—John Williams, New York Times Book Review“Sherman offers something new and surprising: a look inside the 1 per cent’s minds. . . . She shifts our understanding of today’s dominant class.”—Simon Kuper, Financial Times

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Book SynopsisA sprawling, intimate scrapbook documenting the Grateful Dead's history in words and pictures.

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Book SynopsisA lucid analysis of the impact on society of the increased use of technology in everyday life.Table of ContentsIntroduction • Fear of technology • Living with technology • Becoming hooked • Solutions for restoring health • Conclusion

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Book Synopsis''Present Tense is an anthology to savour . . . giving you as sharp a portrait of this unknowable band as you could hope for . . . Radiohead fans will love it'' Classic RockA Rock''s Backpages anthology of Radiohead, the most radical and fascinating rock band in modern music history, edited and introduced by Barney Hoskyns.For over 25 years, Radiohead have been the most radical and fascinating rock band in the world. Fearless in their desire to change and shape-shift, the Oxfordshire quintet has - through the nine studio albums from 1993''s Pablo Honey to 2016''s A Moon-Shaped Pool - consistently stretched the boundaries of what ''rock'' means and does. Anchored in Thom Yorke''s soaring voice and elliptical lyrics, and in the compositional genius of guitarist/keyboardist Jonny Greenwood, Radiohead continue to astonish as they approach their fourth decade.Present Tense collects the best writing on this most liteTrade ReviewPresent Tense is an anthology to savour . . . giving you as sharp a portrait of this unknowable band as you could hope for . . . Radiohead fans will love it * Classic Rock *

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Book SynopsisThe untold story of a British institutionBrilliant.' Alan JohnsonCompelling.' David KynastonThe beer drinkers' Bill Bryson.' Times Literary SupplementFerment Magazine's Best Beer Book of the YearPete Brown is a convivial guide on this journey through the intoxicating history of the working men's clubs. From the movement's founding by teetotaller social reformer the Reverend Henry Solly to the booze-soaked mid-century heyday, when more than 7 million Brits were members, this warm-hearted and entertaining book reveals how and why the clubs became the cornerstone of Britain's social life offering much more than cheap Federation Bitter and chicken in a basket.Often dismissed as relics of a bygone age bastions of bigotry and racism Brown reminds us that long before the days of Phoenix Nights, 3,000-seat venues routinely played host to stars like Shirley Bassey, Louis Armstrong, and the Bee Gees, offering entertainment for all the family, and close to home at that. Britain's best-known coTrade Review‘Pete Brown is a brilliant master of ceremonies as he brings the history of these fine institutions to life and demonstrates their importance in working class communities across the country.’ Alan Johnson, author of This Boy ‘A compelling mixture of social history, vivid reportage and candid autobiography, Clubland makes a crucial contribution to our understanding of Britain in the last century and a half.’ David Kynaston, author of Austerity Britain ‘This is not a romantic book, lost in misty memories. It is a deeply political one. Warm, witty, Brown writes this study with humour, but also rage.’ The Observer ‘Droll, warm, bittersweet.’ Times Literary Supplement ‘A diverting journey through an important chapter of British social history. A portrait of the working man at play, at the bar, at the committee table at the club at the end of his street and yet… within touching distance of Tom Jones.’ Mark Radcliffe ‘Pete Brown writes poetically and with great authority on a slice of culture that has been ignored or derided for many years. He illuminates these arts centres, debating halls and palaces of carefree delight with love and care.’ Ian McMillan, author of Neither Nowt Nor Summat 'An important history and a heartfelt tribute to the friendship, organisation, humour and community to be found in these remarkable institutions.’ Ian Clayton, author of It's The Beer Talking: Adventures in Public Houses ‘Leave any flat-capped clichés at the door: Brown offers an earnest exploration of this crucially formative area of British social history.’ John Warland, author of Liquid History 'Completely original and brilliantly entertaining … a masterful blend of pub-fire anecdote, rigorously researched social history and insightful commentary; ultimately, a political book.’Ferment Magazine, Beer Book of the Year 2022

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Book SynopsisDive into this fun and entertaining quiz book from the UK's biggest Black British pub quiz! Get your thinking caps on because it's time to test your knowledge on all things Black and British, with rounds on everything from music, sport, history and geography to Black Twitter, anime, your favourite culinary delights and much more.Whether you're a history buff, a self-proclaimed movie critic, food connoisseur, a perfect all-rounder or a novice, you'll find your chance to show off your knowledge!So, assemble every group chat and the cousins from your mum's side of the family, as we have something for everyone inside The Black British Quiz Book.

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Book SynopsisFrom the creators of the Tik Tok sensation, a hilarious new book, one part Shit My Dad Says, one part Make Your Bed.On Tik Tok, Instagram, and his podcast, The Be a Man Guy discusses what it takes to be a man.

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Book SynopsisVocabulary alone isn''t enough. To survive in the most sophisticated - and the most scathing - nation on Earth you will need to understand the many peculiarities of the (very peculiar) French culture. And for that you need A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi.If you want to fit in with the French you''ll have to know how to deal with sardonic waiters; why French children hate Charlemagne; the etiquette of kissing, joke-telling and drinking songs, what to do with a bidet, the correct recipe for a salade nicoise and, of course, how to convey absolute, shattering indifference with a single syllable (Bof!).Charles Timoney, the author of Pardon My French, provides a practical, pleasurable guide to the charms of the Gallic people - from their daily routines to their peerless gesticulations, from their come-ons to their put-downs. Read on and put the oh la la back into your French vacances. Your inner gaul will thank you for it.

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Book SynopsisThe outlandish, hilarious, terrifying, and almost impossible-to-believe story of the legendary, dangerous amusement park where millions were entertained and almost as many were injured.

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Book SynopsisIn Pop Masculinities, author Kai Arne Hansen investigates the performance and policing of masculinity in pop music as a starting point for grasping the broad complexity of gender and its politics in the early twenty-first century. Drawing together perspectives from critical musicology, gender studies, and adjacent scholarly fields, the book presents extended case studies of five well-known artists: Zayn, Lil Nas X, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, and Take That. By directing particular attention to the ambiguities and contradictions that arise from these artists'' representations of masculinity, Hansen argues that pop performances tend to operate in ways that simultaneously reinforce and challenge gender norms and social inequalities. Providing a rich exploration of these murky waters, Hansen merges the interpretation of recorded song and music video with discourse analysis and media ethnography in order to engage with the full range of pop artists'' public identities as they emerge at the intersections between processes of performance, promotion, and reception. In so doing, he advances our understanding of the aesthetic and discursive underpinnings of gender politics in twenty-first century pop culture and encourages readers to contemplate the sociopolitical implications of their own musical engagements as audiences, critics, musicians, and scholars.Trade ReviewHansen's conclusion is both an homage to masculinity in popular music studies and an invitation for future pop scholars to join him in this ever-expanding field of gender and performance. * Paxton Haven, The University of Texas at Austin, Journal of Popular Music Studies *Pop music is a unique context in which the meanings of masculinities are being negotiated on an exceptional kind of display. In this interdisciplinary tour de force, Hansen provides rich and nuanced analyses that unpack just what it means to argue that enactments of gender sometimes simultaneously shore up and destabilize the very systems of inequality they may seem designed to challenge. Pop Masculinities provides new material for better understanding the flexibility of gender hegemony in a cultural arena that impacts all of us. * Tristan Bridges, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Co-editor of Men and Masculinities and Exploring Masculinities *We often forget that men have gender too. And despite what a patriarchal ideology might frame as a natural structure, boys, no less than girls, struggle to forge their own subjectivities amid the many cultural pressures confronting them. In this dazzling and nuanced study, Kai Arne Hansen analyzes the ways several prominent young male entertainers have publicly negotiated their own coming of age by means of music, lyrics, fashion, and self-presentation. A beautifully written and deeply compelling study. * Susan McClary, Fynette H. Kulas Professor of Music, Case Western Reserve University and Distinguished Professor Emerita, UCLA *Pop music is a unique context in which the meanings of masculinities are being negotiated on an exceptional kind of display. In this interdisciplinary tour de force, Hansen provides rich and nuanced analyses that unpack just what it means to argue that enactments of gender sometimes simultaneously shore up and destabilize the very systems of inequality they sometimes seem designed to challenge. Pop Masculinities provides new material for better understanding the flexibility of gender hegemony in a cultural arena that impacts all of us. * Tristan Bridges, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Co-editor of Men and Masculinities and Exploring Masculinities *In Pop Masculinities, Hansen draws together a range of perspectives—age, class, race, sexuality, and more—to consider the complex manifestations of masculinity in twenty-first century popular music culture with an impressive intersectional nuance. He interweaves close readings of sonic and visual artefacts with a rich cultural-theoretical framework, to offer a timely analysis of the gender politics of commercial music culture. * Freya Jarman, Reader in Music, University of Liverpool *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Like Pinocchio 1. Separating the Men from the Boys: New Masculinities, Pop Music, and the Social Politics of Interpretation 2. Good Boy Gone Bad: Fashioning a Post Boy Band Masculinity 3. A Different Country? Lil Nas X, the Sound of the Internet, and Queering the Cowboy 4. Beyond Bieber Fever 5. Dangerous and (In)Vulnerable: Aestheticizing Violence and Dancing in Sin City 6. From Boy Band to Man Band: Take That, Age(ing), and the Display of Self-Irony Conclusion: Fade-Out Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn East of the Wardrobe, Warwick Ball explores hitherto unrecognised and unexpected Eastern aspects in and influences on C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia.Trade Review"a complex, wide-ranging investigation" -- Mark Vernon, Church TimesBall's work highlights the breadth of intellectual and cultural traditions that were available to writers of his generation. * Greece & Rome *The book's personal, digressive, and allusive qualities make it a page turner and often sheer fun to read. * Philip Irving Mitchell, Dallas Baptist University, TX , Mythopoeic Society *A highly enjoyable and eye-opening account of the myriad ways Lewis was influenced by Eastern art, literature, and philosophy - and, indeed, religion. * Oliver Tearle, Interesting Literature *A highly enjoyable and eye-opening account of the myriad ways Lewis was influenced by Eastern art, literature, and philosophy -and, indeed, religion. * Interesting Literature *The book's personal, digressive, and allusive qualities make it a page turner and often sheer fun to read... Even those readers who are simply interested in comparative literature can enjoy the numerous possibilities on display. I think East of the Wardrobe will be mined for all of these for some years to come. * Philip Irving Mitchell, Mythlore *East of the Wardrobe is as enjoyable as it is important...Laced with Ball's humour and humanity, this book has something for every reader. * Frazer MacDiarmid, The Stimulus *East of the Wardrobe is as enjoyable as it is important. Ball betrays intimate familiarity with the Chronicles, undertaking close-reading (even exegesis) of the texts that will delight Narnia fans. Theologians will be fascinated by the variety of Eastern concepts evident in books whose secrets were thought to be long revealed... Even the endnotes were amusing and intriguing, with many meriting footnote status. C. S. Lewis emerges as a more complex and sympathetic author than commonly understood, whose bibliophilia sparked a love of beautiful stories, regardless of provenance. Laced with Ball's humour and humanity, this book has something for every reader. * The Stimulus *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction: Confessions of a Reluctant Narniaphile 1. Endless Books: Herodotus to Robert Byron 2. 'It All [Perhaps] Began with a Picture': Narnia, Persian Painting, and Pauline Baynes 3. East of the Wardrobe: The Manners and Customs of the Modern Calormen 4. On Board the Dawn Treader: Epic Quests and Fabulous Voyages to the East 5. Of This and Other Worlds: Portals and Alternative Time, from the Wardrobe to the Qu'ran 6. Mere Christianity? Mere Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and Sufism as Well in Narnia 7. Farther Up and Farther In. Messages within, beyond, and east of Narnia Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe sacred chest said to have been built by the Israelites to house the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written, the Ark of the Covenant has long captured the popular imagination. According to the Bible, the Israelites carried it with them as they wandered in the wilderness and entered the promised land. After the Temple of Solomon was built, the Ark was kept in an inner sanctum where God made his divine presence felt to the Israelites. The Hebrew Bible is unclear about what happened to the Ark after the destruction of the temple and offers vague accounts of its function. Despite (or because of) this ambiguity, the Ark continues to hold an important place in Jewish and Christian tradition, even in its absence, and has led to much popular speculation. Widely imagined and re-imagined, it is perhaps today best known in popular culture as the object sought by Indiana Jones in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark. In Readers of the Lost Ark Kevin McGeough explores the diff

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Book SynopsisDo you touch wood for luck, or avoid hotel rooms on floor thirteen? Would you cross the path of a black cat, or step under a ladder? Is breaking a mirror just an expensive waste of glass, or something rather more sinister? Despite the dominance of science in today''s world, superstitious beliefs - both traditional and new - remain surprisingly popular. A recent survey of adults in the United States found that 33 percent believed that finding a penny was good luck, and 23 percent believed that the number seven was lucky. Where did these superstitions come from, and why do they persist today?This Very Short Introduction explores the nature and surprising history of superstition from antiquity to the present. For two millennia, superstition was a label derisively applied to foreign religions and unacceptable religious practices, and its primary purpose was used to separate groups and assert religious and social authority. After the Enlightenment, the superstition label was still used to define groups, but the new dividing line was between reason and unreason. Today, despite our apparent sophistication and technological advances, superstitious belief and behaviour remain widespread, and highly educated people are not immune. Stuart Vyse takes an exciting look at the varieties of popular superstitious beliefs today and the psychological reasons behind their continued existence, as well as the likely future course of superstition in our increasingly connected world. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewStimulating and informative. * Alexander Faludy, Church Times *This succinct summary of the history of and psychology behind superstition is so superb that I am adopting it for my college course on critical thinking and recommend it be required reading for all social science students. Stuart Vyse is such a marvelous writer and clear thinker, in fact, that this book should be required reading for all humans susceptible to superstitions, which is to say all of humanity. * Michael Shermer, Publisher, Skeptic magazine *Stuart Vyse has packed a lot into this little book, including a comprehensive discussion of the way in which the concept of superstition has changed across the ages, the psychology of superstition, and the implications of superstitious thinking for the modern world - all presented in an engaging and informative style. Highly recommended! * Professor Chris French, Goldsmiths, University of London *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: The meanings of superstition 2: Religious superstition 3: Secular superstition 4: Superstition today 5: Why do people believe? 6: The future of superstition Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisThe first ever global history of luxury, from Roman villas to Russian oligarchs: a sparkling story of novelty, excess, extravagance, and indulgence through the centuriesTrade ReviewThere's a tension at the core of the very idea of luxury, and that tension gives this book its sinew. * The Wall Street Journal *Table of Contents1. Luxury, Antiquity, and the Antique ; 2. The Courts, the Church, and Medieval and Renaissance Luxury ; 3. Luxury and the Orient ; 4. Housing Luxury: From the Hotel Particulier to the Penthouses ; 5. Luxury and the Fashionable Body ; 6. Jet Set Life: From Trans-Atlantic to Global Elites ; 7. The Chic of Poverty: The Minimalism of Luxury ; 8. Everything that Money Can Buy? Manipulating Luxury ; 9. Has Luxury Lost its Lustre? ; Further Reading ; Notes ; Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This study provides penetrating insight into how American and UK youth see the world—through their own words. By building 'appreciation for the challenges they [Gen Zers] face,' the volume encourages older readers to recognize the strengths of their progeny, particularly to appreciate the importance of navigating an increasingly digital world. No other book available brings readers into more intimate contact with Gen Z . For this reason alone it warrants a careful read." * Arts Fuse *“A textured and rich account. . . . Drawing on the notion that ‘generation’ reflects a shared experience and attitude, not simply shared birth dates, the authors argue that Generation Z is unique and significant, as it is the first generation to have always known the internet: ‘only knowing the world with the possibility of endless information and infinite connectivity of the digital age.’ This has greatly affected how Generation Z see their lives and values, bound together by a strong sense of connections and collaboration, and can be, the authors suggest, an example to older generations of how to live.” * Church Times *"Paints an optimistic portrait of a much misunderstood generation that has never known a world without the internet." * Observer *"In Gen Z, Explained: The Art of Living in a Digital Age, university professors Katz, Ogilvie, Shaw, and Woodhead (hereafter KOS&W) try to understand the digital medium by studying the first generation—mine—never to know life without the internet." * First Things *"Katz et al point out that Gen Zers have had to navigate the new online reality without the guidance of their elders, and have created rich and hard-to-penetrate subcultures. What they mostly like to do, the book argues, is to collaborate in leaderless groups. They use digital tools to create shared documents, sync their calendars, write and read fan fiction, play games together. They use apps to organize lift-sharing, couch-surfing and political activism." * London Review of Books *“This extraordinarily rich and empathetic account of Gen Z offers a groundbreaking understanding of this generation’s habits and motivations without reducing them to the sum of their posts and tweets. This work excels in unpacking the subtle ways that identity formation and presentation of self are seamlessly interwoven with digital communication for Zoomers. Parents, teachers, and anyone who cares about our future as a society should read this deeply informed contribution to the research on Gen Z.” -- Devorah Heitner, author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive and Survive in Their Digital World“This book is [fire emoji] (an intimate and indispensable guide to the identities and belonging of postmillennials—and some surprising lessons for all of us). -- Richard A. Settersten, Jr., author of Living on the Edge: An American Generation’s Journey Through the Twentieth CenturyTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Technology Shapes Postmillennial Life Chapter 2: Fine-Grained Identity Chapter 3: Being Authentic Chapter 4: Finding My Fam Chapter 5: OK Boomer Chapter 6: The Difficulty of Being a Gen Zer Chapter 7: Conclusion: The Art of Living in a Digital Age Acknowledgments Methodological Appendix Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisPopularizing the Past tells the stories of five postwar historians who changed the way ordinary Americans thought about their nation's history. What's the matter with history? For decades, critics of the discipline have argued that the historical profession is dominated by scholars unable, or perhaps even unwilling, to write for the public. In Popularizing the Past, Nick Witham challenges this interpretation by telling the stories of five historiansRichard Hofstadter, Daniel Boorstin, John Hope Franklin, Howard Zinn, and Gerda Lernerwho, in the decades after World War II, published widely read books of national history. Witham compellingly argues that we should understand historians' efforts to engage with the reading public as a vital part of their postwar identity and mission. He shows how the lives and writings of these five authors were fundamentally shaped by their desire to write histories that captivated both scholars and the elusive general reader. He also reveals how tTrade Review"Astute, informative, and skillfully researched, Witham’s thought-provoking analysis will appeal to historians (and aspiring historians) who want a better grasp on the challenges and opportunities of history as a profession and the business of popular-history books." * Library Journal *"In his new book Popularizing the Past, historian Nick Witham sheds light on five particularly interesting historians’ writing and publishing strategies during the mid-to-late twentieth century . . . Witham’s readings of these five figures offer sensitive analysis and point to the key questions about politics and publishing." * Boston Review *"I am very taken with Nick Witham’s illuminating book and hope that all practicing and aspiring US historians read it. Drawing on careful research and writing in sparkling prose that rivals his subjects', Witham examines how five prominent postwar historians navigated the challenges and rewards of scripting national narratives for audiences beyond the academy. For anyone interested in crafting intellectually robust, readable, and relevant scholarship, Popularizing the Past is essential reading." -- Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen, author of American Nietzsche"A fascinating exploration of American historians searching for their publics and seeking to balance empirical depth and literary flair, scholarship and fame, objectivity and activism. Nick Witham's book is the most probing examination of these matters that I have read. Essential for understanding the importance and perils of writing popular history." -- Gary Gerstle, author of The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order"Those dispirited by today's skirmishes over the American past should seek out Nick Witham’s wonderful book on postwar history writing. His portrait of prominent scholars who wrote for the public offers a fresh take on popularization, presentism, and politicization—even as it underscores the essential work of histories that educate and engross readers." -- Sarah E. Igo, author of The Known Citizen: A History of Privacy in Modern America"The argument of Witham’s book is that the audience for popular historical nonfiction that explains America to itself has always been a diverse one, made up of various types of readers. The imagined past, when an idealised American reader relaxed by the fireside with a sturdy tome written by a credentialed academic, is, largely speaking, a fiction…The best parts of Popularizing the Past are the archival discoveries of letters from readers, and between editors and writers, showing the nitty-gritty of how this sausage got made – and eaten." * History Today *"[An] engaging, instructive account of the efforts by five postwar American academic historians – and, importantly, their editors and publishers – to reach a broader, non-scholarly audience with their work . . . . If historians wish to produce work that resonates with ordinary readers while being taken seriously by fellow specialists, it can be done. And for guidance on how to do it they could do worse than look to those who, three-quarters of a century ago, set about ‘popularizing the past.'" -- Fredrik Logevall * Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsIntroduction What’s the Matter with History? The Problem of Popularity in Postwar American Historical Writing Part I Popular History and General Readers 1 Richard Hofstadter: Popular History and the Contradictions of Consensus 2 Daniel Boorstin: Popular History between Liberalism and Conservatism Part II: Popular History and Activist Readers 3 John Hope Franklin: The Racial Politics of Popular History 4 Howard Zinn: Popular History as Controversy 5 Gerda Lerner: The Struggle for a Popular Women’s History Conclusion The Legacies of Postwar Popular History Acknowledgments Archival Abbreviations  Notes Index

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Book SynopsisConsiders the misappropriation of African American popular culture through various genres, largely Hip Hop, to argue that while such cultural creations have the potential to be healing agents, they are still exploited -often with the complicity of African Americans- for commercial purposes and to maintain white ruling class hegemony.Trade Review“Soul Thieves is a collection of essays that critically weighs the consequences of appropriating black culture. … The volume has broad appeal and informs academics how black material culture is conversant with many of the same discourses as conventional historical narratives. … Soul Thieves is a welcomed addition to interdisciplinary fields, African American studies in particular.” (Kameelah L. Martin, Journal of American Culture, Vol. 102 (3), December, 2015)"This ground breaking interdisciplinary publication is long overdue and offers deep insight into the efficacy of African American popular culture and it's critical impact on shaping artistic cultural production on a global scale. The contributors, leading scholars in their respective research areas, set the record straight through their thought provoking and accessible historical research." - Melanye White Dixon, Associate Professor, Department of Dance, The Ohio State University, USATable of ContentsPreface; Tamara Brown PART I: ENTERTAINMENT AND FASHION 1. 'So You Think You Can Dance'; Tamara Brown 2. 'Foraging Fashion'; Abena Lewis-Mhoon 3. 'In the Eye of the Beholder: Definitions of Beauty in Popular Black Magazines'; Kimberly Brown PART II: BLACK POWER STUDIES 4. 'Neutering the Black Power Movement: The Hijacking of Protest Symbolism'; James B. Stewart 5. 'Silent Protest: The Appropriation of Black Athletic Power'; Jamal Ratchford 6. Black Comic Book Characters; David T. Terry PART III: MUSIC AND TECHNOLOGY 7. Soul Thieves: White America and the Appropriation of Hip Hop and Black Culture; Baruti Kopano 8. I'm Hip: An Exploration of Rap Music's Creative Guise; Kawachi Clemmons 9. 'Cash Rules Everything Around Me! Appropriation, Commodification and the Politics of Hip Hop and Contemporary Protest Music'; Diarra Osei Robinson 10. 'The Appropriation of Blackness in Ego Trip's The (White) Rapper Show'; Carlos D. Morrison and Ronald L. Jackson, Jr.

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Book Synopsis''You''ll never look at your favourite movies and TV shows the same way again. And you shouldn''t'' Steven Soderbergh ''Insanely readable'' Slavoj Zizek''Your book was ... like a bag of pot, with me saying, ''I''m not gonna smoke.'' But I was insatiable'' Quentin Tarantino on Easy Riders, Raging BullsIn The Sky is Falling! bestselling cultural critic Peter Biskind takes us on a dizzying ride across two decades of pop culture to show how the TV and movies we love - from Game of Thrones and 24 to Homeland and Iron Man - have taught us to love political extremism. Welcome to a darkly pessimistic, apocalyptic world where winter has come, the dead are walking, and ultra violence, revenge and torture are all in a day''s work. Welcome to the new normal.Trade ReviewA Sunday Times Book of the Year * - *Compulsively readable ... a thoughtful, entertaining and occasionally profound critical study of the texts that entertain, move and, sometimes, shape us * Spectator *Excellent critical writing ... Biskind's pastiche of right-wing paranoia is spot on * Irish Times *Biskind's wide-ranging arguments offer considerable food for thought * London Review of Books *The Sky is Falling! is not only insanely readable, it demonstrates how the way for Trump and all kinds of fundamentalists was paved years ago by apparently apolitical popular culture. This is a book about the seismic change at the very heart of today's society, and a book for all those who want to know exactly what a mess we're in. -- Slavoj ŽižekPeter Biskind's kaleidoscopic deep dive into the symbiotic relationship between the narratives of popular entertainment and our political culture had me talking out loud to myself. You'll never look at your favorite movies and TV shows the same way again. And you shouldn't. -- Steven SoderberghFunny, intelligent and frightening ... What happens when pop turns to pulp? When "nothing entertains but disaster?" When "democracy has all but dissolved in the acid rain of money?" Read this marvellous book and find the answers -- Michael WoodA breathless compendium of storylines and audacious analysis ... touching on worthwhile questions about how film and TV shape our sense of history and how the world works. Pop culture has become pulp culture... which superhero will come to our rescue? * Times *The only thing better than seeing a good movie is reading what Peter Biskind has to say about it. Who else can explicate the hidden politics of movies and make you laugh out loud at the same time? -- Barbara EhrenreichThe great chronicler of Hollywood in the late twentieth century turns his critical eye to the cinema and television of the twenty first. Essential reading -- Colin MacCabeA bold, witty, and brilliantly argued analysis of the role pop culture has played in the rise of American extremism -- Ruth ReichlYour book was . . . like a bag of pot, with me saying, 'I'm not gonna smoke.' But I was insatiable -- Quentin Tarantino on EASY RIDERS, RAGING BULLS

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Book SynopsisThe mysterious is all around us...UFOs, extraterrestrial encounters, baffling disappearances-Mysteries Uncovered investigates, without prejudice, some of the most notorious, disturbing and enduring mysteries ever recorded.- UFO activity: the Roswell Incident, the Phoenix Lights, the Rendlesham Incident...- Alien abduction: the Barney and Betty Hill case...- Uncanny events: the missing crew of the Marie Celeste, the lost colony of Roanoke, the fate of Amelia Earhart...- Notorious disappearances: the cases of Lord Lucan and D.B. Cooper... For every instance rationalized away, there is another that defies explanation...

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