Popular Culture
July 2016
"The fashion industry, in many ways, is a study in how deeply we long to stand out in order to fit in."
~ from Amy Odell's Tales from the Back Row
Recent Releases
Devoured: From Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies, How What We Eat Defines Who We Are
by Sophie Egan

You are what you eat, right? So are you made of home-cooked, from-scratch meals? Or are you chicken nuggets and a supersized soda? Either way, what does that mean for you, or for food culture in general? From the explosion of options for eating (fast food, fast-casual, brunch, pre-made frozen meals, gluten-free) to the many delicious food-centric events (the Super Bowl) and other excuses to keep eating and drinking (Wine tastings! Beer flights!), this engaging history of American food culture captures the good and the bad. If you've enjoyed Michael Pollan's books or the many excellent food-oriented documentaries available, you'll want to pick up Devoured, too.
For the Glory: Eric Liddell's Journey from Olympic Champion to Modern Martyr
by Duncan Hamilton

In the 1924 Olympics, devout Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell refused to run in his race -- the 100 meter -- because it fell on a Sunday. Instead, he spent the months leading up to the Olympics training for the 400, which no one expected him to win. But win he did, and his victory was later immortalized in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. But this was only the beginning of his sacrifices and his principled stance -- at the peak of his career, Liddell went on to dedicate his life to missionary work in China, where he ultimately died in a Japanese work camp. In For the Glory, author Duncan Hamilton provides a poignant biography of an inspiring man.
A Geek in Thailand : Discovering the Land of Golden Buddhas, Pad Thai and Kickboxing
by Jody Houton

This alternative guide to Thailand offers a smart and concise take on Thai culture, entertainment, daily life—covering all the classics—but also revealing the path less traveled. In short articles accompanied by sidebars and numerous, colorful photographs, it paints a revealing picture of Asia's most popular travel destination. A Geek in Thailand is for the holidaymakers who visit for two weeks every year and have a desire to learn about the culture, but are struggling to know where to begin. Sections on the food, drink, social scene, music, film and everyday Thai life are sure to appeal to them. It is also for those who wish to move to Thailand on a more permanent basis as it contains helpful information regarding purchasing property, setting up a company and applying for visas and work permits. Chapters on the Thai character and cultural dos and don'ts and faux pas will allow the reader to go beyond the Thai smile. Sections on politics, history, economy and the unique relationship between the Thai Nation, Religion and Monarchy will also be of interest to those who wish to delve into a deeper understanding of Thailand. (Simon & Schuster)
Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me: What Pop Music Rivalries Reveal About the Meaning of Life
by Steven Hyden

Diving deep into 19 different music rivalries, this is a "wide-ranging, hilarious, and smart look at both expected and surprising matches" (Library Journal). From Tupac vs. Biggie to the Stones vs. the Beatles, author Steven Hyden incorporates personal anecdotes along with his cultural criticism in a variety of genres (and eras, though most can be traced to within the last 25 years). If you love arguing the finer points of challenges real or theoretical (Prince or MJ? Hendrix or Clapton?), Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me is a must-read. 
The Dog Merchants: Inside the Big Business of Breeders, Pet Stores, and Rescuers
by Kim Kavin

Between breeders, auctions, shelters, rescues, and pet stores, getting dogs into homes is an $11 billion-a-year business. In this "devastatingly clear-cut exposé" (Booklist), author Kim Kavin shows exactly what trends in breed preferences result in -- more breeding, and an abundance of discarded dogs ending up in shelters. Though revolted by the idea of beloved pets treated as products, Kavin argues that those who want to advocate for dogs (ending, for example, the practice of puppy mills and wholesale dog distributors) should join in using their power as consumers to benefit dogs everywhere. Responsible dog lovers -- whether of purebreds or mutts -- will appreciate this well-researched book. 
Celebrity Cultures in Canada
by Katja Lee

Canadian. Celebrity Cultures in Canada is an interdisciplinary collection that explores celebrity phenomena and the ways they have operated and developed in Canada over the last two centuries. The chapters address a variety of cultural venues—politics, sports, film, and literature—and examine the political, cultural, material, and affective conditions that shaped celebrity in Canada and its uses both at home and abroad. Celebrity Cultures in Canada rejects the argument that nations are irrelevant in today’s global celebrityscapes or that Canada lacks a credible or adequate system for producing, distributing, and consuming celebrity. Nation and national identities continue to matter—to celebrities, to fans, and to institutions and industries that manage and profit from celebrity systems—and Canada, this collection argues, has a vibrant, powerful, and often complicated and controversial relationship to fame. (Univ. of Toronto)
The Caped Crusade : Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture
by Glen Weldon

Since his creation, Batman has been many things: a two-fisted detective; a planet-hopping gadabout; a campy Pop-art sensation; a pointy-eared master spy; and a grim and gritty ninja of the urban night. For more than three quarters of a century, he has cycled from a figure of darkness to one of lightness and back again. How we perceive Batman’s character, whether he’s delivering dire threats in a raspy Christian Bale growl or trading blithely homoerotic double-entendres with partner Robin on the comics page, speaks to who we are and how we wish to be seen by the world. It’s this endlessly mutable quality that has made him so enduring. And it’s Batman’s fundamental nerdiness—his gadgets, his obsession, his oath, even his lack of superpowers—that uniquely resonates with his fans. Today, fueled by the internet, that breed of passion for elements of popular culture is everywhere, which makes Batman the perfect lens through which to understand geek culture, its current popularity, and social significance. (Simon & Schuster)
We Were Feminists Once : From Riot Grrrl to Covergirl, the Buying and Selling of a Political Movement
by Andi Zeisler

Today, feminism is no longer a dirty word, and women purporting to stand up for women’s equality now include high-powered names like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Emma Watson. Hip underwear lines sell granny pants with feminist” emblazoned on the back. In every bookstore, there are scores of seductive feminist how-to business guides telling women how to achieve it all.” Meanwhile, access to abortion clinics is growing ever more difficult for many women across the country, and Arizona has passed a law requiring doctors to tell women undergoing an abortive procedure about a junk science method of reversing” abortion espoused by the Tea Party right. Feminism has gone mainstream, but true equality is never an easy sell. Drawing on almost 20 years of experience covering popular culture from the frontlines of the feminist movement, Andi Zeisler will tell a cultural history through the stories of institutions and real women, feminists and otherwise, in America. Witty and fearless,We Were Feminists Once is story of how we could have let this happen, and where we go from here. (Perseus)
Clothing, Fashion, and Style
Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion
by Elizabeth L. Cline

Each year, the average American buys 64 pieces of clothing -- most of them from places like Target, TJ Maxx, H&M, and other purveyors of cheap clothes. Many get worn for only a short time before one trend ends and another begins -- and the item is replaced with another cheap, trendy piece. To find out the actual costs and the effects of all this low-price, poor-quality clothing flooding the U.S. market, journalist Elizabeth Cline visited clothes makers in the U.S., garment factories overseas, and the charity shops and textile recyclers everywhere that end up with the cast-offs. If you're interested in ethical shopping, Cline also includes some tips for a sustainable closet.
I'll Drink to That: A Life in Style, With a Twist
by Betty Halbreich with Rebecca Paley

When Betty Halbreich published this book in 2014, she was 86 years old and still working as a personal shopper for luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman, where she'd amassed a loyal following over her 40 years there. Though as much a personal accounting of her life (privileged childhood, early marriage, and a divorce that forced her into the working world) as it is about her influential role in the lives of her clients -- celebrities or otherwise -- fashionable readers will enjoy her tales of couture gossip and her trademark style.  
The Truth about Style
by Stacy London

In a more personal take on her long-running (though sadly now defunct) TLC show What Not to Wear (co-hosted with Clinton Kelly), style expert Stacy London weaves her own story with that of nine women undergoing their own style transformations. Examining the emotional obstacles that prevent women from achieving their goals, she shares her own battles (a scarring skin disorder and complex relationship with food) as she helps the nine find styles that are both confidence-boosting and personal. 
Tales from the Back Row: An Outsider's View from Inside the Fashion Industry
by Amy Odell

Dividing the fashion world into eight distinct groups (from designers and models to "you and me"), fashion editor Amy Odell shares an array of pointed, humorous, and candid commentary on the haute couture community from an insider's perspective. From terrifying initial encounters with Karl Lagerfeld to a nerve-jangling job interview with Anna Wintour to the packed house at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Odell is an insightful and entertaining guide to a colorful and surprisingly self-conscious world. 
The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish
by Linda Przybyszewski

In the first half of the 20th century, there was a group of American women known as the Dress Doctors. Well-respected in their fields (often in college Home Economics departments), they counseled young white women in how to dress appropriately yet flatteringly -- and economically. Prizing an ability to sew as well as adherence to five principles of dress (including both proportion and emphasis), they lost their influence as the 1960s rolled into view. In The Lost Art of Dress, author Linda Przybyszewski tells their story and provides context for other lost arts, such as dressing for dinner.
Contact your librarian for more great books!