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Popular Culture November 2018
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Oops! We made a mistake. The previously released version of the November Popular Culture newsletter contained errors, which have been corrected in this re-released issue.
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| Fashion Climbing: A Memoir With Photographs by Bill CunninghamWhat it is: a charming posthumous memoir from New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham that captures his idiosyncratic, uncompromising style.
Want a taste? "I never go down the street or enter a room without automatically deciding what the woman should wear."
Don't miss: irreverent anecdotes of Cunningham's antics, including the time he sneaked into the Waldorf Astoria Hotel to see Queen Elizabeth. |
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Heavy Duty : Days and Nights in Judas Priest
by K. K Downing
What it's about: The former guitarist of Judas Priest offers an insider's look at the complex personalities, business mishaps, and rivalry with fellow genre band Iron Maiden that marked their career.
What's inside: Fans will at last be able to delve backstage into the stories that surround the heavy metal institution. Downing discusses how Judas Priest found itself at the epicenter of a storm of parental outrage that targeted heavy metal in the '80s, and the band's trademark black leather and studs image that would not only become synonymous with the entire genre, but would also give singer Rob Halford a viable outlet by which to express his sexuality. He recounts the life-changing moment when he looked at his bandmates on stage during a 2009 concert and thought, "This is the last show." Whatever the topic, whoever's involved, K.K. doesn't hold back.
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Twin Peaks and Philosophy : That's Damn Fine Philosophy!
by Richard Greene
What it's about: 2017 saw the triumphant return of the weird and haunting TV show Twin Peaks, with most of the original cast, after a gap of twenty-five years.Twin Peaks and Philosophy finally answers that puzzling question: What is Twin Peaks really about?
More questions inside: Can the everyday evil of humans in a small mountain town ever be as evil as the evil of alien supernatural beings? Or is the evil of non-humans actually less threatening because it's so strange and unaccountable? And does the influence of uncanny forces somehow excuse the crimes committed by regular folks?
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| Tigerland: 1968-1969: A City Divided, a Nation Torn Apart, and a Magical Season of Healing by Wil HaygoodBeating the odds: Columbus, Ohio's segregated East High School baseball and basketball teams defied racist vitriol and school underfunding to win state championships during the 1968-1969 season.
Why you might like it: Tense and inspiring, Tigerland captures the turmoil of the 1960s, linking this intimate underdog tale to the larger political happenings of the era.
About the author: Wil Haygood is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the bestselling author of The Butler: A Witness to History. |
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| The Beatles Yellow Submarine by Bill MorrisonWe all live in... a fully authorized graphic novel adaptation of The Beatles' animated film Yellow Submarine, released to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Art alert: Bill Morrison's bright illustrations pay homage to the source material's psychedelic style, while offering some welcome depth and shading to complement the trippy narrative.
Reviewers say: "a gorgeous tribute to a classic work of pop art" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List by James MustichWhat it is: an enthusiastic, genre-hopping tome of must-read books that includes concise annotations and insightful commentary for each selected title.
Featuring: recommended reading lists such as "Books to Read in a Sitting," "Offbeat Escapes," and "A Long Climb, but What a View."
Read it for: the additions (and omissions!) that are sure to spark bibliophile debates. |
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| The Greatest Love Story Ever Told: An Oral History by Megan Mullally and Nick OffermanWhat it's about: In this frank and bawdy transcript, "mismatched" couple Megan Mullally (Will and Grace) and Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) chat about their lives and love.
Chapters include: "You're Just Trying To Get In On The Action Because Your Family Is Like A Norman Rockwell Painting;" "I Came Out Of The Womb In a Top Hat And Tap Shoes."
Don't miss: the couple's tips for domestic bliss (like investing in a good mattress and enforcing a "two-week rule" for spending time apart). |
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| Tetris: The Games People Play by Box BrownWhat it is: the complicated origin story of Tetris, "the game that escaped the USSR" in 1984 after its Russian creator sneaked it out of Moscow.
What sets it apart: Bestselling author and illustrator Box Brown (Andre the Giant: His Life and Legend) presents the tale in a whimsical and engaging graphic narrative.
Art alert: straightforward illustrations feature hard edges and minimal coloring meant to evoke the visuals of the game's earliest iterations. |
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Gamer Nation : The Rise of Modern Gaming and the Compulsion to Play Again
by Eric Geissinger
What it's about: A tech-industry insider takes a critical look at the effect games are having on our short- and long-term happiness and assesses the cultural prospects of a society increasingly obsessed with gaming.
Why you might like it: If you enjoy games as a harmless pastime or are suspicious of their effects on the quality of your family's life, you'll want to read this wide-ranching exploration of the growing game phenomenon.
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| Death by Video Game: Danger, Pleasure, and Obsession on the Virtual Frontline by Simon ParkinWhat it is: a thought-provoking, evenhanded examination of gaming culture and its effect on players.
Why you might like it: Simon Parkin presents examples both sobering (a 23-year-old gamer's death after 23 hours of play) and hopeful (a man who developed a game to cope with his son's cancer diagnosis), offering nuance to ongoing debates about video games' impact.
Further reading: Jane McGonigal's SuperBetter or Tom Bissell's Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter. |
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| Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games... by Jason SchreierWhat it is: an enthusiastic look at the artistic and technical development of popular video games including Halo Wars, Destiny, Project Eternity, Stardew Valley, Uncharted 4, Star Wars 1313, and more.
About the author: Jason Schreier is a news editor at video game website Kotaku.
Reviewers say: "Even if you've never played one of these games, you'll be riveted by the account of how they came to be" (Booklist). |
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