", Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Hes never less than canny on the pop culture angle: Dracula and Frankenstein are almost everywhere in the book, his insights into the fear of zombies are sharp, the comparison of Patrick Bateman and Dexter Morgan is inspired, and the analysis of fifties icons like Vampira and the Addams family are very good. Even fewer scholars do so as adeptly and as entertainingly as W. Scott Poole. Howard Thurman Books An Introductory Reading Guide. Want 100 or more? Monsters In America challenges, enlightens, and, quite honestly, frightens in its prescient view of American history, . Michelle Shannon is licensed under a 335 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 in. Jacques Ellul Books An Introductory Reading Guide. Poole has set the bar ridiculously high for any future research exploring the locus of historical and cultural studies, particularly as it pertains to the horrific. Monsters In America challenges, enlightens, and, quite honestly, frightens in its prescient view of American history, as well as the seeming ubiquity of the monsters of our past and probable future. St. Augustine Best Books on His Life and Work, Holy Sonnets John Donne Complete Text. Monsters in America: Our Historical Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting, Review, Title Page, Copyright, Dedication, Epigraph, Preface: With a Warning to the Unsuspecting Reader, Introduction: The Bloody Chords of Memory. Here we not only meet such monsters but also discover America's cultural monstrosity. Salem witches, frontier wilderness beasts, freak show oddities, alien invasions, Freddie Krueger. But he also shows that the monstrous can be sympathetic, that it can also be used by the oppressed to speak back to the mainstream. It is a frightening world we live in, yet the horrific things in our literature and culture play a vital part in helping us reach some understanding, and even some peace about them. on 50-99 accounts. Bolden testifies that he bought cigarettes from Bobo Evans and that Evans told him about the robbery. Separated by significant eras in American history, a reader gets a clear picture of how the definition of a monster changes depending on the cultural and political events of an era. Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2017. Friday afternoon, July 17th & December, 5 months later. Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2012. . I feel like the author did a great job at deconstructing America's social issues and how they connect to the monsters/fears/entertainment of the time. Historian W. Scott Poole distinguishes himself by focusing on the American context, providing a history told through the personified expressions of our anxieties and fears. Call me crazy, but I don't think a historian's role ought to be the reaffirmation of modern feelings of superiority over everyone else who has ever lived. I wasn't ready for the overtly sociological approach of the book, and was expecting a history, as alluded to in the title of the book. (1 page) Students will compose a summary of the chapter, highlighting the key elements of Poole's text. I suppose history could be read into just about any object. Monsters in America is an important contribution, and it will be enjoyed by literary and cultural historians alike. "Angels, Monsters, and Jews: Intersections of Queer and Jewish Identity in Kushner's "Angels in America."" PMLA 113, no. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), When you get the opportunity to see your daughter, @muse and their #willofthepeopleworldtour was by f, @evanescenceofficial has been around for twenty ye, When you havent seen your favorite band live in, When your partner is obsessed with the Alex Murdau, Monsters in America: Our Historical Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting, https://bookshop.org/shop/thatswhatsheread, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Petrocelli refers to the defendants as monsters in the community. She then calls two witnesses. A masterful survey of our grim and often disturbing past. Solely focused on the horrors, readers would think that no Christian or church stood against the aberration of Scriptural teaching; but such was the case with missionaries and abolitionists. This proven textbook also studies the social location of contemporary horror films, exploring, for example, how Get Out emerged from the context of the Black Lives Matter movement. Especially enlightening is the the animistic portrayal and subsequent fear of African-Americans that has permeated society since they were first brought to the Americas on slave ships. religious texts and newspaper accounts of "satanic panics" into a highly readable analysis of the concept of the devil in American cultural history. In his new preface and expanded conclusion, Pooles tale connects to the presentillustrating the relationship between current social movements and their historical antecedents. It is not just about film and fiction, but the cultural events that mirrored the works on the screen and in our nightmares. I had to read this for a class (one I wasn't too stoked about, if I'm being honest) and went into it with a pretty closed mind. Friedrich Nietzsche believed we are the monsters. When meeting the natives, he saw their way of life as barbaric and uncivilized. Probably more 3.5 stars. What becomes disturbingly apparent is that most of Americas hatred of the Other is based in Christian religious belief. Monsters highlight both the positives and negatives in any society, and as such, require the reader to open ones mind and accept that the history taught in history books may not be the truth. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Consulting newspaper accounts, archival materials, personal papers, comic books, films, and oral histories, Poole adroitly illustrates how the creation of the monstrous "other" not only reflects society's fears but shapes actual historical behavior and becomes a cultural reminder of inhuman acts. Highly recommended. One wishes for a consistency in commentary. Poole invites us into an important and enlightening, if disturbing, conversation about the very real monsters that inhabit the dark spaces of America's past. "Sick," published by Abrams/Amulet). Free trial is available to new customers only. After readingMonsters in America, a reader will view monsters in a completely different light. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! This book is really good, a look at our monsters in a social conceptional way. The history of the United States offers a chamber of horrors, with clergy transforming the Native American other into demonic beings, mad scientists turning state-funded laboratories into torture chambers, and the photographic revolution of the Victorian era turning toward a morbid fascination with the bodies of the dead and the creation of the category of 'gore.' Monster in America is a literature book by W. Scott Poole. Steve writes about his fear, anger, and pain and his rising sense of panic about the outcome of his trial. 20% the bell witch, the roanaoke colony, etc.) BUY . Why are we scared of this person? is always a question behind each chapter and Poole is careful to never reduce it purely to matters of sociology or psychology while still using those tools of analysis. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. Scholars will argue over interpretation because that is what scholars do. Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2014. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. From our colonial past to the present, the monster in all its various forms has been a staple of American culture. Excerpt. They are manifestations of our society. For him, this place is the opposite of realhe has to do everything in front of strangers. When social conservatives oppose something, like - say -. FABULOUS! A masterful survey of our grim and often disturbing past, Monsters in America uniquely brings together history and culture studies to expose the dark obsessions that have helped create our national identity. InMonsters in America,Scott Poole asks these thought-provoking questions while traveling through American history following the evolution of the monster over time. You can find more scary stories from him on Twitter: @monstersamerica. He tells his story through handwritten notes and a typewritten screenplay. Copyright Thats What She Read 2009-2013. Monsters and American History W. Scott Poole offers many unique explanations for the creation and story telling of monsters in his essayMonsters in America.Poole examines the cultural history of the monster and how it intersects with American history. For my own part, I have been studying and writing about Gothic horror for some years. John Wesley Sermons - The 7 Best Sermons from the Founder of Methodism. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Wendell Berry Poems Seven of Our Favorites! I heard the author on Coast to Coast, and even though he had that dry, flat Midwestern accent (sort of like Margaret Hamilton in "The Wizard of Oz") I knew I had to get the book. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. Poole does justice to judgment; the focus of some horror films. Enter your email address to subscribe to That's What She Read and receive notifications of new posts by email. This exciting work blends the study of horror films, comic books, religious texts and newspaper accounts of "satanic panics" into a highly readable analysis of the concept of the devil in American cultural history. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. What would be made of the differences of the heavy, utilitarian coffee cups of the 1940s compared to the cups featuring Gary Larson cartoons so popular in the 1990s? Everything from Communists, feminists, and foreigners to Candyman, Dracula, and The Exorcist are examined for the social attitudes to evil that they illuminate (and that we may believe, consciously or subconsciously). You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. (The medical examiners evidence suggests that the shooter was probably right-handed.) Acknowledgements: Thank you to Kelly Hughes from Dechant-Hughes for my review copy! The man immediately begins screaming about something hidden in the mist that is attacking and killing people. At times in the book a movie director is taken at his word, the reason for his film given authorial intent. Renews March 11, 2023 March 4, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 When, meeting the natives, he saw their way of life as barbaric and uncivilized. A masterful survey of our grim and often disturbing past, Monsters in. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. Willa Cather Short Stories Five Superb Stories to Read for FREE! For the record, I'm *not* well versed on the horror genre due to my fear of almost every popular culture monster. Visit the new website for more about the book, upcoming events, and to keep up with Scott Poole's blog. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. This well-written and thought provoking book examines what scares us and what monsters in popular entertainment have to say about our fears and values in society. Sophfronia Scott - The Seeker and the Monk [Review], James Atwood - Collateral Damage - Brief Review, Emily M.D. Which one would you like to know more about and why? Baylor Univ, $29.95 (296p) ISBN 978-1-60258-314-6 From 19th century sea serpents to our current obsession with vampires and zombies, history professor Poole (Satan in America) plots America's. That being said, however, if you are a teacher who needs to get a class full of barely literate college freshmen to understand what it means to read / think about things in historical context, Poole's introduction, "The Bloody chords of Memory," is readable and accessible even for a group of resistant and vaguely engaged (at best) 18 year olds. It's also a great way of introducing the idea that you can use different lenses/ways of writing to introduce and discuss topics. Continue to start your free trial. The new edition extends this analysis to shed light on some of the darker developments in recent American political culture. The book's unusual range is one of its contributions; its freshness of juxtaposition is another. The horrible treatment of indigenous peoples and slaverys practice is sin that stains Americas history. He compares himself with the other prisoners. The Best C.S. Stamped on American culture, the phrase brings to mind images of costumes, plastic masks, and parents holding the hands of little monsters as they collect candy calories. Dont have an account? Through the two and a half weeks I took with this book, I have been citing it in conversation. Steve worries about why OBrien turned away from him after winning the case. Monsters are here to stay. Marilynne Robinson 10 Freely Available Essays! He reminds the jury of the witnesses criminal records and contends that their unreliability casts reasonable doubt on Kings guilt. is an important contribution, and it will be enjoyed by literary and cultural historians alike. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. Wright Books An Introductory Reading Guide to The Theologians Work, Joy Harjo Poems Five of the Best Poems by the US Poet Laureate, John ODonohue Poems Four of our Favorites. The book takes you from the trenches at Ypres to the backlots of Universal Studios and introduces you to the artists, writers, and directors who shaped the world of horror we know today from their own encounter with the carnage of the Great War.
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