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Popular Culture September 2017
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| You Play the Girl: On Playboy Bunnies, Stepford Wives, Trainwrecks, & ... by Carina ChocanoFrom Pretty Woman to Frozen, Carina Chocano (a staff writer for Salon) digs into portrayals of women in popular culture over the last 50 years. In addition to her insightful analysis of topics such as sexuality, motherhood, and women in the workplace, Chocano offers personal anecdotes from her own childhood, when she was unmoved by the Disney princesses popular among her peers, and her current efforts to raise a confident daughter. It's "entertaining, engaging, [and] enlightening," says Kirkus Reviews; if you want a similar exploration focused on science fiction, try Kameron Hurley's The Geek Feminist Revolution. |
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Queen of Bebop: The Musical Lives of Sarah Vaughan
by Elaine M. Hayes
Sarah Vaughan dropped out of school to become a jazz singer; her win at Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater landed her a gig singing with Earl Hines' band, where she performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Billy Eckstine at the dawn of bebop. A champion of civil rights, with a voice like honey and a mouth that earned her the nickname "Sailor," Vaughan was a rare woman in a male-oriented business, a strong and successful performer despite mismanagement by the men in her life. Queen of Bebop provides an insightful look at her life and career -- and the legacy she left behind.
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From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women who Created an Icon
by Mattias Boström
Everyone knows Sherlock Holmes. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created a unique literary character who has remained popular for over a century and is appreciated more than ever today. But what made this fictional character, dreamed up by a small-town English doctor in the 1880s, into such a lasting success, despite the author's own attempt to escape his invention? In From Holmes to Sherlock, Swedish author and Sherlock Holmes expert Mattias Bostrom recreates the full story behind the legend for the first time.From a young Arthur Conan Doyle sitting in a Scottish lecture hall taking notes on his medical professor's powers of observation to the pair of modern-day fans who brainstormed the idea behind the TV sensation Sherlock, from the publishing world's first literary agent to the Georgian princess who showed up at the Conan Doyle estate and altered a legacy, the narrative follows the men and women who have created and perpetuated the myth. It includes tales of unexpected fortune, accidental romance, and inheritances gone awry, and tells of the actors, writers, readers, and other players who have transformed Sherlock Holmes from the gentleman amateur of the Victorian era to the odd genius of today. Told in fast-paced, novelistic prose, From Holmes to Sherlock is a singular celebration of the most famous detective in the world -- a must-read for newcomers and experts alike.
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Twentieth Century Fox: A Century of Entertainment
by Michael Troyan
A behind-the-scenes look at a remarkable American multinational mass media empire and its century of entertainment, bookended by empire builders William Fox and Rupert Murdoch, is filled with controversies, scandals, extraordinary achievements, never-before-told stories of its stars and creative personalities and much more.
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The Fall of the House of Fifa: The Multimillion-dollar Corruption at the Heart of Global Soccer
by David Conn
David Conn writes the definitive account of FIFA's rise and fall, covering in great detail the corruption allegations and the series of scandals that continued to shake the public's trust in the organization. The Fall of the House of FIFA situates FIFA's unraveling amidst revealing human portraits of soccer legends such as Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer and features an exclusive interview with former president Sepp Blatter. Even as he chronicles the biggest sport scandal of all time, Conn infuses the book with a passionate love of the game, delivering an irresistible read.
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The Many Lives of Catwoman: The Felonious History of a Feline Fatale
by Tim Hanley
For more than 75 years, Catwoman has forged her own path in a clear-cut world of stalwart heroes, diabolical villains, and damsels in distress. Her relentless independence across comic books, television, and film set her apart from the rest of the superhero world. When female-led comics were few and far between, Catwoman headlined her own series for over 20 years. But her unique path had its downsides as well. Her existence on the periphery of the superhero world made her expendable, and she was prone to lengthy absences. Her villainous origins also made her susceptible to sexualized and degrading depictions from her primarily male creators in ways that most conventional heroines didn't face. Exploring the many incarnations of this cultural icon offers a new perspective on the superhero genre and showcases the fierce resiliency that has made Catwoman a fan favorite for decades.
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The Monster Movies of Universal Studios
by James L. Neibaur
Universal Studios produced some of the most famous movie monsters in history including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, andThe Wolf Man. This book looks at each of the key films produced by Universal from 1931 until The Creature Walks among Us in 1956. A concluding chapter will discuss the continued impact of the films.
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Foo Fighters: Learning to Fly
by Mick Wall
A biography of one of today’s biggest-selling rock bands discusses drummer Dave Grohl’s early days in Nirvana to his founding the Foo Fighters as a one-man project after Kurt Cobain’s death, and ultimately recruiting the other members to fill out the band.
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Charlie Chaplin's Red Letter Days: At Work With the Comic Genius
by Fred Goodwins
This is a behind-the-scenes look at film comedian Charlie Chaplin by an actor in Chaplin's stock company. In 1916 Fred Goodwins wrote more than thirty-five articles for Red Letter magazine that provide fascinating insights about Chaplin at work and play—articles that few have seen since they were written a century ago.
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All the King's Horses: The Equestrian Life of Elvis Presley
by Kimberly Gatto
In the first-ever book dedicated to Elvis's equestrian side, horse lovers Kimberly Gatto and Victoria Racimo share rare stories, interviews, and photographs that shed light on the beautiful, quiet life the King lived when he was with his horses.
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Kirby: King of Comics
by Mark Evanier
Republished to coincide with Kirby’s centennial, a first authorized celebration of the life and work of the "King of Comics"—who created or co-created such superheroes as Captain America, The X-Men, The Hulk, The Fantastic Four and The Mighty Thor—is newly revised and expanded.
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| The Streak: Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken Jr., and Baseball's Most Historic Record by John EisenbergFor more than 50 years, Lou Gehrig held the record for playing the most baseball games in a row, with 2,130. In 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. broke that record, ultimately shattering it with 2,632 consecutive games. These two "miracle" efforts, including the lengths to which each man went to keep their streaks going, as well as several other records held by baseball's various iron men, are discussed in enthusiastic and celebratory detail. The drama is surpassed only by the long hard slog such efforts require, and the question: is it worth it? |
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The Color of Pixar
by Tia Kratter
Bold and beautiful, this volume presents hundreds of film stills from the Pixar archives in a glorious spectrum of color. Starting with bright white images and seamlessly flowing through the colors of the rainbow, it becomes crystal clear how each frame tells a story. Bound into a gorgeous volume, The Color of Pixar encapsulates everything there is to love about the studio: the attention to detail, the playful characters, and the sheer scope of their work in over 20 years of iconic feature films.Collects hundreds of film stills from the Pixar archives in a glorious spectrum of color.
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| The Arena: Inside the Tailgating, Ticket-Scalping, Mascot-Racing, Dubiously... by Rafi KohanLike Tom Jones' Working at the Ballpark, Rafi Kohan's The Arena is a vivid exploration of what it's like behind the scenes at a modern American sports stadium, from tailgating and ticket scalpers to halftime shows and local traditions. It also includes a look at the role that big-ticket sports plays in both U.S. culture and local economies. Kohan mixes humor, hands-on research, and sociological analysis to create an entertaining and edifying book that provides new perspectives on everything from turf management to turf wars to the financial shenanigans behind the building of new arenas. |
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Cowboy Song: The Authorized Biography of Thin Lizzy's Philip Lynott
by Graeme Thomson
Philip Lynott packed a vast amount into his 36 years. An instantly identifiable singer, charismatic stage performer and supremely gifted songwriter, the guiding spirit of Thin Lizzy combined the instincts of a wild man with the soul of a poet. Including an afterword by Lynott’s former wife Caroline Taraskevics, Cowboy Song is the definitive authorized account of an extraordinary life and career. Drawing on scores of exclusive interviews with family, friends, bandmates and collaborators, it is both the ultimate depiction of a multifaceted rock icon and an intimate portrait of a much-loved father, son and husband.
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| Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth FranklinDrawing on new interviews and newly discovered correspondence, this comprehensive biography of the author of the chilling short story "The Lottery" (and the classic ghost story The Haunting of Hill House) sheds light on the rest of Shirley Jackson's life and work. Placing Jackson's literary suspense squarely in line with the American Gothic work of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe, author Ruth Franklin also points to her varied oeuvre as indicative of a time in which women had limited options. Insightful and engaging, this biography has won several awards, including a Bram Stoker Award, an Edgar Allan Poe Award, and a National Book Critics Circle Award. |
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| Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear by Margee KerrIntrepid sociologist Margee Kerr makes Fear Factor look tame as she investigates the biological and emotional response to fear as well as what motivates people to seek out fear-inducing activities. Her investigation led her to such hands-on experiences as riding extreme roller coasters, spending time in solitary confinement, and hanging out on the roof of a skyscraper; thrill-seekers will get some great ideas here. |
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| The Lady and Her Monsters: A Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins... by Roseanne MontilloWhen Mary Shelley published Frankenstein in 1818, the idea that the dead could be revived was taken seriously by natural philosophers, but it was thanks to her husband, poet Percy Shelley, that Mary became intrigued by the idea of immortality. Together, they belonged to an artistic and intellectual set that often went beyond the fringes of social acceptability, occasionally mixing scientific innovation with literary creation to explain the unexplainable. The Lady and her Monsters paints a fascinating portrait of Mary Shelley and her writing in this volatile social and scientific context, bringing to life the origins of her immortal novel -- now a classic horror story. |
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| Something in the Blood: The Untold Story of Bram Stoker, the Man Who Wrote Dracula by David J SkalIn Something in the Blood, author David Skal minutely examines all there is to know about Bram Stoker, creator of vampire legend Dracula. Making use of his own extensive research, previously published materials on Stoker, and detailed descriptions of Dracula productions through the years, Skal discusses Victorian beliefs and anxieties about sexuality and disease, as well as Stoker's connections to Oscar Wilde. An "enthralling work of biography" (Kirkus Reviews), enhanced with illustrations, Something in the Blood is sure to appeal to aficionados of Victoriana in addition to Stoker's own enduring fandom. |
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| Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered... by Jason ZinomanRosemary's Baby. The Exorcist. Carrie. The Last House on the Left. These are just some of the films made between 1968 and 1976 that redefined the horror movie genre. And thanks to writers and directors like Wes Craven and George Romero, horror movies moved to mainstream theaters and are now a billion-dollar industry. In addition to explaining how (and why) these films were made, theater critic, reporter, and horror-film fan Jason Zinoman explores how they gained popularity and what their creators went on to achieve. He also includes shot-by-shot descriptions of several films, which fans and newcomers alike will surely appreciate. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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