Popular culture Books

Book SynopsisFrom burning draft cards to staging nude protests, much left-wing political activism in 1960s America was distinguished by deliberate outrageousness. This book argues that these over-the-top antics were far more than just the spontaneous actions of a self-indulgent radical impulse.Trade Review"Craig J. Peariso’s work challenges traditional narratives regarding some of North America’s most significant political iconoclasts of the 1960s." -- Max Shulman * TDR: The Drama Review *"Radical Theatrics is a thought-provoking book that should educate and trouble anyone desperate to change the world and confused about what to do when those efforts stall." -- Jeremy Varon * Journal of American History *"This intriguing book presents a revisionist revaluation of the more problematic radical edges of political performance art in the United States of the mid-to-late 1960s. . . . Peariso has successfully shown that awkward decade was up for it in many compelling ways. . . . [Radical Theatrics] launches a sophisticatedly argued call for newly creating politico-aesthetic styles of ‘anti-representational’ performance." -- Baz Kershaw * Studies in Theatre and Performance *"Peariso’s study of ‘failed’ sixties radicalism is an important contribution to our growing understanding of the complexities of radicalism in the postmodern, where performance is everywhere and manifold." -- Alan Filewod * Labour / Le Travail *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction | Stereotypes, Opposition, and “the Sixties” 1. Monkey Theater 2. “Watch Out for Pigs in Queen’s Clothing”: Camp and the Image of Radical Sexuality 3. “Erect . . . Strong . . . Resilient and Firm”: Eldridge Cleaver and the Performance of “Black” Liberation Afterword Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Routledge Companion to Girlsâ Studies is the definitive guide to the international, interdisciplinary, and intersectional field of Girlsâ Studies, bringing together leading and emerging scholars across a range of academic disciplines to address timely topics on global girls and girlhoods.Spread across four thematic sections, the essays in this collection offer a glimpse into the evolution of the field, directly challenge and move beyond the fieldâs early shortcomings, provide compelling examples of current research, and suggest new directions for future Girlsâ Studies scholars. Chapters explore the connections between girlhoods and such topics as sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, education, activism, social-class, ability, gender identity, media representation, and more.The Routledge Companion to Girlsâ Studies is of value to scholars and students of gender studies, media studies, sociology, education, health, literature, sexuality studies, communication, child and youth studies, and more.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book takes a comprehensive look at dragons, our most popular and beloved mythological creature, from a cultural and historical perspective. From Chinese Imperial dragons to the worms and wyverns of English folklore, dragons appear in myths and legends around the world and throughout history.Follow the evolution of the dragon from creation myths through to Medieval and Viking dragons and on to our present-day love of this mythological beast. Across the globe, dragons appear in almost every culture but their appearance, stories and meaning differ. We will take a tour through time and look more closely at the myths, tales and legends of different cultures. Throughout society and culture, dragons have played various roles alongside humans as creators, enemies, treasure hoarders, and allies. They are part and parcel of the rich mythology and legends that are the backbone of any culture. They live in our imagination and our psyche. And whilst they have a long history of focusing in l

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCharles A. Perrone is Professor Emeritus of Portuguese and Luso-Brazilian Culture and Literatures in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies at the University of Florida, USA. He is the author of Masters of Contemporary Brazilian Song: MPB 1965-1985 (1989), Seven Faces: Brazilian Poetry since Modernism (1996), and Brazil, Lyric, and the Americas (2010). He is co-editor of Brazilian Popular Music and Globalization (2001) and Crônicas brasileiras: A Reader (2014). He has translated numerous contemporary Brazilian writers, most notably poets such as Augusto de Campos and Paulo Leminski.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Preface: The Origins 1. Intro: Pagings and Stagings 2. The Product: Data and Strata 3. PPP: Persons, Personnel, and Parapheranalia 4. Setting the Table, On the Ground 5. Spelling Out a Partnership in Rhyme 6. A Trio of Stage Tunes 7. A Loose Can(n)on 8. Happy Comrades Abroad 9. A Cup, A Chalice, A Gem 10. In Spite of You, Tomorrow Will Be Another Day 11. Outro: Rio, Brazil, and Beyond Bibliography / Works Cited Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisUnmasks the horrors of a social order reproduced and maintained by the violence of police Year after year the crisis churns: graft and corruption, violence and murder, riot cops and armored vehicles claim city streets. Despite promises of reform, police operate with impunity, unaccountable to law. In The Horror of Police, Travis Linnemann asks why, with this open record of violence and corruption, policing remains for so many the best, perhaps only means of security in an insecure world. Drawing on the language and texts of horror fiction, Linnemann recasts the police not only as self-proclaimed “monster fighters” but as monsters themselves, a terrifying force set loose in the world. Purposefully misreading a collection of everyday police stories (TV cop dramas, detective fiction, news media accounts, the direct words of police) not as morality tales of innocence avenged and order restored but as horror, Linnemann reveals the monstrous violence at the heart of liberal social order. The Horror of Police shows that police violence is not a deviation but rather a deliberate and permanent fixture of U.S. “law and order.” Only when viewed through the refracted motif of horror stories, Linnemann argues, can we begin to reckon the limits of police and imagine a world without them. Trade Review"We know this more clearly today than ever before: policing is monstrous, unleashing terror while cannibalistically devouring resources otherwise destined for more human things. Travis Linnemann turns our reality upside-down as he turns the horror genre inside-out, insisting that only by confronting the dreadful monsters in our midst can we build a truly different world."—Geo Maher, author of A World Without Police: How Strong Communities Make Cops Obsolete"Police stories are among the most popular in American culture. In this book—equally steeped in pop culture, the latest critical theory, and the history and contemporary reality of policing—Travis Linnemann reads those stories against the grain to argue that the police represent the monstrous core of our society and to challenge us to imagine a world without them."—Adam Kotsko, author of Neoliberalism’s Demons: On the Political Theology of Late Capital"In this highly original take, Travis Linnemann looks beyond the flashy headlines of the grossest excesses of police violence to the monstrosity that lies beneath it: police power itself. Using the tropes and conventions of the horror literary genre, Linnemann parses not just the fear that the police inspire amongst ‘us’ but also what haunts the police: mutuality, collectivity, and solidarity."—Emma Russell, author of Queer Histories and the Politics of PolicingTable of ContentsIntroduction: Police Story, Horror Story1. Bad Cops and True Detectives2. The Police at the End of the World, or The Political Theology of the Thin Blue Line3. RoboCop, or Modern Prometheus4. Monsters Are Real5. The Unthinkable WorldAcknowledgmentsNotesIndexNotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisPop Culture for Beginners promotes reflective engagement with the world around us and provides a set of tools for thinking critically about how meaning is created, reinforced, and circulated. Privileging a semiotic approach, the book’s first part, “The Pop Culture Toolbox,” outlines the development of pop culture studies; explains the semiotic framework; introduces students to a variety of critical lenses including Marxism, feminism, postcolonialism, and Critical Race Theory; and then offers an overview of several pop culture “pivot points” including authenticity, convergence culture, intersectionality, intertextuality, and subculture. The book’s second part provides a series of units, prepared in consultation with subject area experts, built around topics central to popular culture studies: television and film, music, comics, gaming, social media, and fandom. Each chapter includes “Your Turn” activities and discussion questions, as well as possible assignments and suggestions for further reading. The unit chapters in part two also include enabling questions as beginning points for thinking critically and sample readings demonstrating relevant scholarly approaches to popular culture; important vocabulary terms throughout are included in a substantive glossary at the end.Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction SECTION 1: THE POP CULTURE TOOLBOX Chapter 1: What Is Popular Culture? Chapter 2: The Semiotic Approach Chapter 3: The Critical Theory Toolbox Chapter 4: Popular Culture Pivot Points SECTION 2: POP CULTURE UNITS Chapter 5: Television and Film Chapter 6: Music Chapter 7: Comics Chapter 8: Gaming Chapter 9: Social Media Chapter 10: Fandom Chapter 11: A Final Assignment GlossaryIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisBig Beat was once one of the biggest, but ironically, perhaps most misunderstood musical movements of the Mid-Late 1990's, lead by some of the biggest artists the Electronic Dance Music scene has ever seen, such as Fatboy Slim (AKA Norman Cook), The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy. It's loud, eclectic sound with it's syncopated beats was a smash around the world, leading to nights of boozy (but good natured) hedonism, and it was the soundtrack to the advertising world of the late 1990's and early 2000's. But, somewhere along the way, the genre got a massive backlash from critics, leading to a very quick and painful death, and became the very victim of it's own success. Where did it go wrong and is there a chance for the scene to experience a revival? With new and exclusive interviews with Rory Hoy from 120 of those who were in the thick of it (including Fatboy Slim and Liam Howlett and Keith Flint from The Prodigy) - this is a celebratory (and sometimes humorous) look at a music scene that was short lived . . but had a very big impact.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBork Bork! The definitive gift book for pet-lovers everywhereChonk and Smol celebrates adorable pets in all shapes and sizes! The book is full of hilarious pictures and heckin' cute captions for the doggo and cat lovers in your life.CHONK: An animal that is majestically solid and magnificently chunky.SMOL: An animal so small and adorable that you would immediately protect it with your life.CHONK AND SMOL: A celebration of the cutest, smollest and chonkiest creatures one book has ever contained. Dive into these pages of intense floofiness to find new frens who will zoom, tippy-tap, blep and mlem their way into your heart.WARNING: CONTAINS EXTREME CUTENESSChapters include: Mlem or Blep?: Tongues Explained Borking: Hear Us Loud and Clear Snugging: Micro-Naps and Super-Sleeps Making Frens: Best Friends Furever

Read more less

Book SynopsisNo Crying in Baseball is a rollicking, revelatory deep dive into a one-of-a-kind film. Before A League of Their Own, few American girls could imagine themselves playing professional ball (and doing it better than the boys). But Penny Marshall''s genre outlier became an instant classic and significant aha moment for countless young women who saw that throwing like a girl was far from an insult.Part fly-on-the-wall narrative, part immersive pop nostalgia, No Crying in Baseball is for readers who love stories about subverting gender roles as well as fans of the film who remain passionate thirty years after its release. With key anecdotes from the cast, crew, and diehard fanatics, Carlson presents the definitive, first-ever history of the making of the treasured film that inspired generations of Dottie Hinsons to dream bigger and aim for the sky.

Read more less

Book Synopsis* How is science represented by the media?* Who defines what counts as a risk, threat or hazard, and why?* In what ways do media images of science shape public perceptions?* What can cultural and media studies tell us about current scientific controversies?Media, Risk and Science is an exciting exploration into an array of important issues, providing a much needed framework for understanding key debates on how the media represent science and risk. In a highly effective way, Stuart Allan weaves together insights from multiple strands of research across diverse disciplines. Among the themes he examines are: the role of science in science fiction, such as Star Trek; the problem of 'pseudo-science' in The X-Files; and how science is displayed in science museums. Science journalism receives particular attention, with the processes by which science is made 'newsworthy' unravelled for careful scrutiny. The book also includes individual chapters devoted to how the media porTable of ContentsSeries editor's forewordIntroductionmedia, risk and scienceScience fictionsScience in popular cultureScience journalismMedia, risk and the environmentBodies at risknews coverage of AIDSFood scaresmad cows and GM foodsFigures of the humanrobots, androids, cyborgs and clonesGlossaryReferencesIndex.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCoffee-wild hippies, business sharks, slackers, Hollywood trendsetters and a panda who loves their blueberry muffins - how a tiny Seattle coffeehouse changed the way we think and drinkTrade Review'I lift a cup - of something stronger than Frappucino - to you Taylor Clark' * P.J. O Rourke, New York Times *'Engaging...witty...fascinating' * Sunday Telegraph *'Clark injects his story with plenty of zip and humour' * Sunday Times *absorbing * Daily Mail *entertaining * Sunday Times *

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFootball Comes Home unearths the cultural, political, and social properties of European football clubs and associations. Christos Kassimeris examines the background of five hundred football clubs and associations from around Europe, providing all the relevant historical information that concerns their origins and standing in society. This book also analyzes the clubs'' and associations'' emblems, revealing the symbolic significance and a wealth of historical and cultural information. By examining football in a social science context, rather then just a geographic context, this book reveals the ways in which football transcends national boundaries and stereotypes.Trade ReviewCultural Studies has long been criticized for neglecting sport. Football Comes Home distinctly addresses this oversight. Based in semiotic analysis it provides an original survey of European football insignia and in so doing offers an insightful symbolic history, giving view to the deep structures of identity that are not revealed by more standard forms of social research. For academics, students and even the general reader interested in the cultural significance of football, this is an essential book. -- John Hughson, International Football Institute, University of Central Lancashire, UKFootball Comes Home is an interesting and original attempt to examine the symbolism of football clubs, focusing specifically on the origins and, to a lesser degree, the evolution of club badges. This book uses the club badge or emblem as a way into a much broader analysis of the changing historical and cultural identities of European football. All this adds up to what is, to my knowledge, the most detailed and thorough examination of the symbols associated with football clubs ever conducted. -- Matthew Taylor, De Montfort UniversityIt is rare that a book combines intellectual rigor with popular cultural study to such a degree. There have been lots of good academic books on European football as popular culture over the years - many of which appear in the bibliography to this book. There have also been plenty of publications which explore the vagaries of semiotics and sport and media cultures. To marry the two, as Christos Kassimeris does in this excellent book, is a real achievement. Highly recommended. -- Steve Redhead, Chelsea School at the University of BrightonTable of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Football semeiosis Chapter 3: The origins of football Chapter 4: Herald the ambassador Chapter 5: More than a club Chapter 6: Social status and religion Chapter 7: Nationalizing football Chapter 8: Conclusion 9 Selected Bibliography 10 Index 11 About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisA gripping, atmospheric debut psychological thriller - perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Alex Marwood and Ali Land.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba to Timothee Chalamet, A Field Guide to Internet Boyfriends is the ultimate celebration of the suave, sexy, sensitive, and silly celebrities who have captured our hearts and memes! Handsome and heartfelt, with winning smiles and pinnable Tweets -- this is what Internet Boyfriends are made of. But who are these meme-able men, and what makes them catch fire online? Discover the answers to these questions and more in A Field Guide to Internet Boyfriends, an interactive exploration of our collective crushes. Entertainment journalist Esther Zuckerman breaks down the world of Internet Boyfriends -- and even a few Internet Girlfriends -- from documentary-style 'spotting guides' to discussions on the key categories of boyfriend, like Sensitive Souls, Beautiful Boys and Daddys. A playful, teen magazine-style quiz -- to help readers find their ideal crush -- and in-depth profiles of some of the most beloved Internet Boyfriends and Girlfriends, from Ryan Gosling (the original) to Harry Styles (the Gen Z icon) to Janelle Monae (the space queen), round out this fully-illustrated romp through the celebs behind the memes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe definitive, behind-the-scenes look at why Pokémon's evolution from a single Japanese video game to global powerhouse captured the world's attention, and how the 'gotta catch 'em all' mentality of its fanbase shaped pop culture—and continues to do so today.  More than just a simple journey through the history of Pokémon, Daniel Dockery offers an in-depth look at the franchise’s many branches of impact and influence. With dozens of firsthand interviews, Monster Kids covers its beginnings as a Japanese video game created to recapture one man's love of bug-collecting as a child before diving into the decisions and conditions that would ultimately lead to that game's global domination. With its continued growth as television shows, spin-off video games, blockbuster movies, trading cards, and toys, Pokémon is a unique and special brand that manages to continue to capture the attention and adoration of its eager fanbase 25 years after its initial release. Whether it was new animated shows like Digimon, Cardcaptors, and Yu-Gi-Oh!; the rise of monster-catching video games and trading card games; and more, Pikachu, the king of pop culture in the '90s, opened the doors in America to those hoping to capture some of Pokémon's dedicated fans. In Monster Kids, Dockery combines the personal stories of the people who helped bring Pokémon to the global stage with affection and humor, making this book the ultimate look at the rise of the franchise in Japan and then North America, but also the generation of kids whose passion for 'catching them all' created a unique cultural phenomenon that continues to make a profound impact today.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTraces the history of Soviet popular song since 1955, through the careers of seven famous performers. This book delves into influential and widely disseminated songs that had a profound social significance in the Soviet Union. It discusses each singer's life, showing what it was that made them famous.Trade Review"An original, well-informed, and beautifully written overview of post-Stalinist culture. MacFadyen draws together a wealth of material and presents it in a meaningful, lucid way. His command over the vast body of information on which he draws is impressive and enables the reader to connect in a significant way with what might otherwise have been an embarrassment of riches." Olga Hasty, Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, Princeton University

Read more less

Book Synopsis Horror fiction is an important part of the popular culture in many modern societies. This book compares and contrasts horror narratives from two distinct cultures--American and Japanese--with a focus on the characteristic mechanisms that make them successful, and on their culturally-specific aspects. Including a number of narratives belonging to film, literature, comics and video games, this book provides a comprehensive perspective of the genre. It sheds light on the differences and similarities in the depiction of fear and horror in America and Japan, while emphasizing narrative patterns in the context of their respective cultures.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFollowing in the footsteps of Robeson, Ali, Robinson and others, today’s Black athletes re-engage with social issues and the meaning of American patriotismNamed a best book of 2018 by Library JournalIt used to be that politics and sports were as separate from one another as church and state. The ballfield was an escape from the world’s worst problems, top athletes were treated like heroes, and cheering for the home team was as easy and innocent as hot dogs and beer. “No news on the sports page” was a governing principle in newsrooms.That was then.Today, sports arenas have been transformed into staging grounds for American patriotism and the hero worship of law enforcement. Teams wear camouflage jerseys to honor those who serve; police officers throw out first pitches; soldiers surprise their families with homecomings at halftime. Sports and politics are decidedly entwined.But as journalist Howard Bryan

Read more less

Book SynopsisChallenges the believe that West Indian American girls are but assert agency in defining race through strategic consumption of popular cultureTrade Review"She's Mad Realcontributes to the ongoing conversation about transnational black migration and diasporic identities. By focusing on teenagers, however, LaBennett attempts to fill a gap in this field, which has usually neglected this group to focus on adult subjects. For this reason, LaBennett's is a commendable work, especially suited for undergraduate and graduate students interested in understanding why the study of popular culture is an excellent opportunity to look at broader social-political phenomena." -- Andreea Micu * Journal of Popular Culture *"She's Mad Realprovides a panorama of theory, deep description, and praxis to understand these black teenage girls. LaBennett is writing against the grain, as urban black female adolescents are typecast by their race, age, gender, and presumed class position. Furthermore, as urban black teen girls, it is assumed that they are 'at risk' for becoming underage mothers with low educational aspirations and with little thought of how to becomes wage earners. LaBennett breaks that mold and brings other variables into the mix." -- A. Lynn Bolles * American Anthropologist *"LaBennett offers a pivotal critique as she takes issue with national (US) and global imagery of black teenage girls...She's Mad Realreminds readers to appreciate that ethnicity, gender, class and inter-generational differences, along with the contexts in which they are set in motion, are critical to understanding the experiences and subjectivity of American and immigrant black youth." -- Aisha Khan * Anthropological Quarterly *"LaBennett is deeply attuned to her subjects. Together, researcher and research subjects explore the wide world around them: hip-hop culture, opportunities for mobility, sexual life, issues of risk, relationships with momits all here! LaBennett develops incisive new interpretations of such concepts as & play-labor and & authenticity. Shes Mad Real both joins a rich ethnographic literature and expands it in revealing politically conscious and hip ways. A fantastic text for in-class use." -- Howard Winant,University of California, Santa Barbara""LaBennett rightfully inserts the experiences West Indian female youth into a transnationalism literature that has privilege the experiences of adult migrants, and which has generally focused on tensions between African Americans and West Indians, rather than acknowledging the complexity of this relationship. The author compellingly advocates for a youth-centered approach to transnationalism, inter-ethnic relations, and multiple conceptions of Blackness that goes beyond the context of the school; in particular, she showcases the consumption practices, fluid work-leisure lives, and critical approach to popular culture she noticed among the young Black women who occupy center stage in the ethnography. These are among the most significant and welcomed contributions of the volume." " -- Ana Ramos-Zayas * Critique of Anthropology *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments 1 Consuming Identities: Toward a Youth Culture-Centered Approach to West Indian Transnationalism 2 "Our Museum": Mapping Race, Gender, and West Indian Transnationalism 3 Dual Citizenship in the Hip-Hop Nation: Gender and Authenticity in Black Youth Culture 4 "I Think They're Looking for a Skinny Chick!": Girls and Boys Consuming Racialized Beauty 5 Conclusion: Placing Gendered and Generational Notions of West Indian Success Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"I want to thank Patty Farmer for understanding the importance of gathering all of this material together and making it fun to read and think about. ReadingPlayboy Laughs, full of backstage stories about those days, took me back there like it was yesterday." -- Bill Marx, Pianist, composer, arranger, and Son of Harpo"Playboy has published some of the most talented cartoonists and writers of our time. Patty Farmer captures the essence of this golden period through her colorful profiles and interviews." -- Leonard Maltin, film critic and historianPlayboy has published some of the most talented cartoonists and writers of our time. Patty Farmer captures the essence of this golden period through her colorful profiles and interviews. -- Leonard Maltin, film critic and historian

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Rolling Stones are one of the most influential, prolific, and enduring Rock and Roll bands in the history of music. This groundbreaking, specifically commissioned collection of essays provides the first dedicated academic overview of the music, career, influences, history, and cultural impact of the Rolling Stones. Shining a light on the many communities and sources of knowledge about the group, this Companion brings together essays by musicologists, ethnomusicologists, players, film scholars, and filmmakers into a single volume intended to stimulate fresh thinking about the group as they vault well over the mid-century of their career. Threaded throughout these essays are album- and song-oriented discussions of the landmark recordings of the group and their influence. Exploring new issues about sound, culture, media representation, the influence of world music, fan communities, group personnel, and the importance of their revival post-1989, this collection greatly expands our undeTrade Review'An intriguing prospect for serious Stones fans.' Ian Fortnam, Classic Rock'A bold attempt to up the intellectual ante around Stones criticism.' Jim Wirth, Uncut'There's an entertaining look at a clutch of Stones country songs … a decent reassessment of their psychedelic period … and a welcome upgrade for Brian Jones as founder, world music maverick and the group's true dandy.' Neil Spencer, The Observer'… there are some interesting theories as the profs examine how psychedelia's aftershock resonated after Their Satanic Majesties and county music infiltrated, giving songs hatched from Keith's gut-level urges and relentless margination a depth even he might not have imagined …' Kris Needs, Record Collector'… The Cambridge Companion to the Rolling Stones constitutes a balanced work, which should be welcomed in that it inaugurates a vast field of study and research, that of Rolling Stones studies, which is set to develop.' Philippe Gonin, Revue de musicologieTable of ContentsPart I. Albums, Songs, Players, and the Core Repertory of the Rolling Stones: 1. The Rolling Stones: albums and singles, 1963–1974 John Covach; 2. Guitar slingers and hired guns: the musicians of The Rolling Stones Bill Janovitz; 3. The Rolling Stones in 1968: in defense of lingering psychedelia John Covach; 4. Exile, America, and the theater of The Rolling Stones, 1968–1972 Victor Coelho; 5. Post exile: The Rolling Stones in a disco-punk world, 1975–1983 Paul Harris; Part II. Sound, Roots, and Brian Jones: 6. The Rolling Stones's sound: at the crossroads of roots and technology Ralph Maier; 7. Driving Stones country in five songs Daniel Beller-Mckenna; 8. A 'gust of fresh air': Brian Jones, assemblage, and world music Brita Renée Heimarck; Part III. Stones on Film, Revival, and Fans: 9. Shine a light: The Rolling Stones on film Michael Brendan Baker; 10. Second life and the dynamics of revival: The Stones after 1989 Victor Coelho; Afterword: being a Rolling Stones fan is not a choice but a state of mind Philippe Puicouyoul.

Read more less

Book SynopsisReading Contemporary Serial Television Universes provides a new frameworkâthe metaphor of the narrative ecosystemâfor the analysis of serial television narratives. Contributors use this metaphor to address the ever-expanding and evolving structure of narratives far beyond their usual spatial and temporal borders, in general and in reference to specific series. Other scholarly approaches consider each narrative as composed of modular elements, which combine to create a bigger picture. The narrative ecosystem approach, on the other hand, argues that each portion of the narrative world contains all of the main elements that characterize the world as a whole, such as narrative tensions, production structures, creative dynamics and functions. The volume details the implications of the narrative ecosystem for narrative theory and the study of seriality, audiences and fandoms, production, and the analysis of the products themselves.Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsList of Figures and TablesList of ContributorsEditors’ IntroductionPart I – TheoryChapter 1: New Paths in Transmediality as Vast Narratives: The State of the FieldMatthew FreemanChapter 2: Crossing the Boundaries: Narrative Ecosystems as SemiospheresMarta BoniChapter 3: Evolution in Vampire-Centered TV EcosystemsHéctor J. Pérez and Fernando CanetChapter 4: Audiences and Fan Studies: Technological Communities and Their Influences on Narrative EcosystemsPaul BoothChapter 5: Spin-offs, Crossovers, and World Building "Energies"Derek JohnsonChapter 6: The Evolution of Characters in TV Series: Morphology, Selection and Remarkable Cases in Narrative EcosystemsVeronica Innocenti and Guglielmo PescatorePart II – AnalysisChapter 7: An Italian Ecosystem: GomorraIlaria A. De PascalisChapter 8: Thank God I'm a Country Series. Interacting Environments and Networks in NashvillePaola BrembillaChapter 9: You’re Sherlock Holmes, wear the damn hat! Character Identity in a TransfictionRoberta PearsonChapter 10: The Specificities of the North-European Seriality: Strong Local Voices in a Global Media-WorldHeidi PhilipsenChapter 11: Event TV Drama within Narrative Ecosystems: Extended Seriality and Differing Paratextual Orientations in the 50th Anniversaries of Cult TVMatt HillsChapter 12: The Game of Game of Thrones: Networked Concordances and Fractal DramaturgyAndrew Beveridge and Michael Chemers

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Isaac Naylor committed suicide after a teenage fan was found dead in his hotel room, the world thought it had lost one of the greatest rock stars of a generation. Naylor, lead singer of The Ospreys, had been arrested for causing the girl''s death and was on police bail when he drowned himself in the sea off the Devon coast, leaving two notes addressed to his bandmates and his younger brother, Toby, discarded on the beach.Now, eight years on, music journalist Natalie Glass stumbles across a blind item on a US gossip website that suggests Naylor''s death wasn''t quite what it seemed - and he might in fact still be alive. The item claims he is the mystery songwriter who has for the past year been submitting lyrics to producers in London via his lawyer for other artists to record. He insists on anonymity and the only person who knows his identity is the lawyer.But as she delves deeper into what happened, the plot to stop her intensifies and Natalie finds she has a sTrade ReviewA twisting tale about the dark undercurrents of fame and fortune. You'll read THE DEATH OF ME with your heart in your mouth. * Erin Kelly *A cat and mouse game of a novel where nobody and nothing is as it seems, all set in the seedy world of music. Topped off with a twist you definitely won't see coming. * Araminta Hall *So cleverly done ... Michelle's trademark plotting is combined brilliantly with the rising tension. * Harriet Tyce *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPopular culture texts have always been ideological battlegrounds between multiple voices with imbalanced power relations. This edited volume aims to raise issues regarding the practice of representation in transnational popular culture, such as films, novels, comics, television series, or advertisements, from the perspective of Indonesian scholars. The 25 chapters that are divided into five sections, (1) Ethnic and Racial Identity, (2) (Dis)empowerement of the Feminine, (3) Redefining Masculinity, (4) Reflecting Social Issues and Power Relation, and (5) Political "Othering," problematize issues of cultural identity and oppression in the context of recent political upheavals in many parts of the world concerning identity politics. The goal is to constantly evaluate what we understand out of the everydayness of cultural interactions as they are captured and portrayed in texts. The scholars in this edited volume invite readers to open new conversations on how power works and how dominant ideology needs to be negotiated or even challenged by popular culture. Some chapters also problematize how popular culture texts are still utilized as vehicles for dominant ideologies to work in an affirmative way. All in all, the readings and interpretations of the works of representation in the chapters have built a non-Western scholarship providing alternative platforms of knowledge production in the humanities and social science.Table of ContentsPreface; Indifferent Minds under the Same Roof: Malaysian College Students Inter-Ethnic Reception of the Films Potong Saga and Halal; Identity and Otherness in the French Animation Film Ernest ET Celestine: A Fable about Difference; Racial Analysis in Okja (2017): Exposing Stereotypes and Unequal Power Distribution; Antisemitism Theme of the French Vichy Government in La Rafle by Roselyne Bosch; Gender Stereotypes in Anton Chekovs Short Stories; Sexual Violence against Career Women in the Korean Drama Series Ibeon Saengeun Cheoeumira; Nina Sayers and the Issue of Sexual Repression: Black Swan Movie Analysis; Beyond the MaleFemale Binary, Issues of Identity in Pepi Al-Bayqunies Novel Calabai; New-Man Masculinity in the Character of Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother; Masculine Constructions: A Comparison of Roald Dahls Novel and the Film Adaptation of Fantastic MR Fox; The Househusband Phenomenon: An Ontological Critique of the Dogmatization of Gender Roles; Masculine and Feminine Symbols in Lelaki Harimau (2004); The One with Chandlers Humor and Masculinity; Neurotic Personality in the Novella сонечка/Sonechka by Lyudmila Ulitskaya; Violence and Abnormal Sexual Behavior in Abdullah Harahaps Titisan Iblis; Narrating Trauma: G30s as Depicted in Lasmi; Reciprocal Love and the Subject-Object Relation in Ivan Turgenevs Fathers and Sons; Lionel Logue: The Reflection of Desire in the Kings Speech; Choi In-Huns Guunmong as a Criticism of South Korean Democracy; Carnivalesque Islamic Symbols in Egyptian Literature; Subversive Reading in SA-Orang Jang Bangsawans Boek Saier Oetawa Terseboet Pantoen; The Construction of Ostalgie Identity in the Movie Sonnenallee (1999); The Plural Identities of Muslim Migrants in Germany in Shahada (2010); The Dissemination of Nazi Propaganda through Educational Institutions and Families in the Film The Book Thief; Collective Memory at the Jewish Museum and the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin: Kollektivschuld; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSettlement and urbanization of the Canadian Northwest coincided with the greatest popularity of the postcard. Settlement, along with the building of a transcontinental railway and the industrialization of central Canada, were the three pillars of the National Policy in the years following Confederation. These themes also were the subject of thousands of images preserved in postcards. By the first decade of the 20th century, many cities, towns, and villages were home to photographers who produced a mass of these fascinating and informative images. Many were personalized views of first houses, home farms or family groups and events. Others documented important events, disasters or buildings with broader importance. Together they comprise a valuable resource that presents a unique impression of a significant period in the history of the Canadian West. Introduction by Merrill Distad.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book reveals the development, expression and potency of organisational culture and identity. With an emphasis on diagnosing culture and its underlying beliefs and assumptions, the book also shows how sport cultures can be reinvented, rebuilt and redesigned so that they create a productive, high performance organisational environment. This book is for readers who want to destroy the tyranny of tradition that keeps organisations in the managerial dark-ages, and transform clubs, associations, agencies and businesses into powerful collective identities.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover the filmmaking secrets of the goblins, hardworking house-elves, Dementors, and so much more.The Harry Potter films are packed with creatures by turns fascinating and fearsome, from the goblins of Gringotts to the Dementors of Azkaban. With detailed profiles of each creature that include concept art and behind-the-scenes photography, this volume gives fans an in-depth look at Dark creatures, such as the Basilisk that resides in the Chamber of Secrets, as well as house-elves and other working creatures. Harry Potter: Film Vault compiles the filmmaking secrets and visionary artistry behind the Harry Potter films into a series of twelve deluxe collectible volumes. Intricately designed and packed with concept art and unit photography from the Warner Bros. archive, each volume in the series gives fans striking insights about bringing the Wizarding World to the big screen.  Included in each book is a collectible art print, making this series a must-have for all Harry Potter fans and collectors everywhere.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"We look around and feel as if book culture as we know it is crumbling to dust, but there's one important thing to keep in mind: as we know it." What happens if we separate the idea of "the book" from the experience it has traditionally provided? Lynn Coady challenges booklovers addicted to the physical book to confront their darkest fears about the digital world and the future of reading. Is the all-pervasive internet turning readers into web-surfing automatons and books themselves into museum pieces? The bogeyman of technological change has haunted humans ever since Plato warned about the dangers of the written word, and every generation is convinced its youth will bring about the end of civilization. In Who Needs Books?, Coady suggests that, even though digital advances have long been associated with the erosion of literacy, recent technologies have not debased our culture as much as they have simply changed the way we read.Trade Review#7 on the Edmonton Journal's Non-fiction Bestsellers list for the week of April 15, 2016 The Edmonton Journal. "[Coady] digs into the recurring social panic that new technology is making us stupid, lazy and unable to appreciate our established cultural forms... Starting with a Sesame Street anecdote and carrying on through Planet of the Apes and 50 Shades of Grey references, she systematically dismantles the common arguments that nobody is reading anymore and our literary culture is dying." Bruce Cinnamon, Vue Weekly, June 9-15, 2016Table of ContentsForeword Introduction The Monster at the End of this Book Good Night, Sweet Prince (of Art Forms) You Maniacs! But What about the Children? The End of Civilization as We Know It Technoserfs We Happy Few

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe 100 best streaming shows reviewed and rated. You may have viewing time on your hands – this guide will give you ideas for what to watch next, with reviews of more than 100 of the best shows around, from the BBC, ITV, C4, HBO, Amazon Prime, Sky Atlantic, Netflix, Disney+ and more.From The Affair to The X-Files, Fawlty Towers to Fleabag, Parks and Recreation to Peaky Blinders and from Game of Thrones to The Crown.Table of ContentsStreaming television shows are more popular than ever. Global lockdowns have sent viewing figures of Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO and Disney+ through the roof as we tune in more than ever. Already popular shows like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, The Wire and The Sopranos garner new viewers and existing fans go with what they know. This book gathers 110 of the most outstanding TV series of recent decades, offering insightful overviews of storylines, themes and characters, while providing recommendations, tasters, trivia and teases. It'll make you want to catch the shows you haven't yet seen and revisit the ones you have. Sets reviewed include the great, game-changing American drama and comedy series such as: Breaking Bad, The Wire, The Sopranos, Mad Men, 24, The Walking Dead, The West Wing, Homeland, Six Feet Under, Game of Thrones, Homicide, Deadwood, NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues, The Shield, Twin Peaks, True Blood, Lost, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Glee, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, ER, Seinfeld, Cheers, Frasier, 30 Rock, Arrested Development, Modern Family, Entourage, Californication, Sex And The City, The L Word, Curb Your Enthusiasm, House, Veep, House Of Cards, American Horror Story, Treme, Damages, Masters Of Sex, Weeds, Nashville, Sons Of Anarchy, The Good Wife… British classics old and new such as Sherlock, Luther, Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Broadchurch, The Thick Of It, Brideshead Revisited, Alan Partridge, Skins, The Office, Extras, Peep Show… And eulogising influential European landmarks such as: The Killing, The Returned, Borgen, The Bridge. And many more...

Read more less

Book SynopsisA journey into the obsessive world of quizzing. Includes stories from Shaun's past such as tales from his time playing Barry in Eastenders; the discovery of a long-lost son; hiding from an angry Mike Reid in a broom cupboard; acting with Ricky Gervais and David Bowie, and the loss of his boyhood friend in 9/11. Actor and celebrity quizzer Shaun Williamson lifts the lid on a National drug that everyone hooked on: quizzing. A Matter of Facts is a personal journey into the world of quizzes. At the start Shaun enters the World Quiz Grand Prix, pitching his knowledge against the Nation's finest minds, including Eggheads and Chasers... he fails. Unperturbed, he sets out to improve his skills through memory training, practice and even hypnosis in an attempt to move himself up the rankings of the quizzing elite. Shaun's adventure sees him get his old quizzing 'band' back together to see if he can triumph in the leagues. As he does so, he meets many characters and experiences the wonderful

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhere and who do we want to be? How might we get there? What might happen if we stay on our current course?In The Future of Serious Art, Bidisha uses her personal journey through novels, TV and film to mirror the seismic changes that have occurred in culture and its industries in recent years.The digital revolution has brought all of TV, cinema and music into the palms of our hands. It’s easier than ever to bring stories to life, but what happens when artistic work is rebranded as 'content creation'? Where does this leave literary novelists and arthouse filmmakers? What about those auteur-directors who make mainstream but thoughtful films for the big screen? As a storyteller herself, and a woman of colour who isn't a millennial, Bidisha asks who is taken seriously as an artist, what is taken seriously as art now and how that might change over the next century.This brief but mighty book is one of five that comprise the first set of FUTURES essays. Each standalone book presents the author's original vision of a singular aspect of the future which inspires in them hope or reticence, optimism or fear. Read individually, these essays will inform, entertain and challenge. Together, they form a picture of what might lie ahead, and ask the reader to imagine how we might make the transition from here to there, from now to then.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFully illustrated with beautiful photographs, this special commemorative book by royal biographer Brian Hoey – who had the privilege of meeting Diana on several occasions – pays tribute to the life of this remarkable young woman. Diana, Princess of Wales was admired throughout the world for her vitality, compassion, determination and beauty. When she first came on the scene, she brought a new dimension to the Royal Family and quickly became regarded as one of the most glamorous women in the world. Yet she remained very much her own person: tough but touchingly vulnerable, self-willed but compassionate to a degree that was unprecedented in one of her generation and background. Her tragic death in 1997, in the prime of her life, shocked the world and unleashed a tide of public grief rarely seen. More than a quarter of a century later, her worldwide popularity remains as strong as ever: she is the unforgettable Diana.Trade Review‘Lavishly illustrated’ Sunday Independent (IE)

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt is July 4th 2002, two musical British brothers have just touched down in the United States. Mythologised in popular song it is the birthplace of the blues, jazz, soul and rock and roll. In search of their own version of El Dorado, instead of the promise of ubiquitous gold, the prize they seek is great music. The brothers have hatched a plan on how to achieve this, they are going to motor from New England to New Orleans, visiting the great music towns and venues that have shaped America. There is one problem though, they need a car. It has to be a special vehicle, one that taps into the rich cultural heritage they seek. Enter their saviour, Rufus', a used '82 Cadillac Eldorado, the last in a long lineage, and the dream car of a generation. The brothers have very little money, know nothing about car mechanics and have no fixed address in the USA. Can they secure the car and where will the road lead them?For two months they live, breathe, sweat and imbibe the complex cocktail of American musical heritage... Where will the soul of America be found? On the open road? At Al Green!s Gospel Church? At the gates of Graceland? Or in a Downtown Chicago nightclub? Or is the El Dorado they seek lost already? Losing Eldorado - Searching for the Soul of America is the remarkable new book that tells the true story of this epic road trip and the music that made America.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the late 1960s and ''70s a small group of idealistic young women and men, self-described as "volunteer peasants," moved to the tiny town of Wells in British Columbia''s Central Interior. These hippies, with their waist-length hair and handlebar moustaches, long paisley skirts and gumboots, rusted cars and worn sofas, brought with them a Canadian version of the continent-wide back-to-the-land movement, the sexual revolution and the privilege of personal freedom. All Roads Lead to Wells tells the story of these young settlers, their migration, their values, the unexpected friendships forged between the town''s old-timers and newcomers and the inevitable clashoccasionally violentof generations and cultures. Built during the Depression, Wells nearly became a gold-mining ghost town like nearby Barkerville, but thanks to the influence of the "back-to-the-landers" it has evolved into one of BC''s renowned arts-based communities. All Roads Lead to Wells offers a new take on the Cariboobeyond gold and ranching.

Read more less

Book SynopsisShamans, psychics, yogis, channelers--almost every culture singles out people with extraordinary gifts. This ambitious book explores the bizarre lives of paranormal celebrities through the ages, from mages and mystics such as Merlin and Rasputin, to controversial contemporaries such as John Edward (Crossing Over) and Gerard Croiset, who was recognized internationally for his ability to find missing objects and persons. As you might imagine, not everyone in this unusual field is genuine; author Chris Wangler also exposes a handful of bona fide paranormal shysters.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisRock Atlas is more than just a guide to 650 music locations across the USA. You can visit many of the places by following the books detailed instructions or simply just enjoy reading the fascinating fact-filled stories behind each entry. Seek out the quirky record stores, find the iconic recording studios, make a pilgrimage to the memorials and statues, check out the best festivals and visit the exact spot where your favourite album cover was photographed. Rock Atlas USA will be your guide. Providing a different insight into musicians' lives and songs through the places linked to them, Rock Atlas USA includes stories featuring artists as diverse as The Beatles, Lady Gaga, Muddy Waters, Bruce Springsteen, Kings of Leon, and Otis Redding. Illustrated with hundreds of rare, unseen, and iconic colour and black and white photographs, Rock Atlas USA is a must for anyone with an emotional tie to contemporary music and the important places associated with it.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less