Purchasing Some of his writings can be accessed at www.warpandwoof.org. It felt more like I was reading a college midterm (not even open book), and less like strong literary criticism. W. Scott Poole, Monsters arrived in 2011and now they are back. Highly recommended." Jenn's Bookshelves "In Monsters in America, Scott Poole expertly weaves together folklore, media studies, and some of the more disturbing moments in American history to remind us of the vital roles monsters play in our culture. . damn good primer on monsters in America. Free trial is available to new customers only. Free trial is available to new customers only. He compares himself with the other prisoners. After a minute elapses from the time David, Billy and Brent enter the store, a man, Jeff Miller, a local townsperson, flies into the market, bloodied and frantic. Fall 2022 Most Anticipated Books for Christian Readers! From 19th century sea serpents to our current. Just watch any local news program and you'll see what I mean. The strongest witness for the State is Richard Bobo Evans, who admits that he took part in the robbery. by Michelle | Nov 30, 2011 | Books Read in 2011, P Author | 0 comments, Title: Monsters in America: Our Historical Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting, Monsters are not just fears of the individual psyche, historian Scott Poole explains, but are concoctions of the public imagination, reactions to cultural influences, social change, and historical events. Please try again. creating and saving your own notes as you read. By the end of the book, Poole cautions that Americas monsters arent going away anytime soon. Poole's examples are well-chosen and well-explicated. Martin Luther King, Jr. His Prophetic Faith in 15 Quotes, Important Discipleship and Formation Books A Reading Guide Fall 2020, Frederick Buechner Books An Introductory Reading Guide. This book is quite well researched, makes a few interesting connections, and is very accessible. Jos Delgado, an employee of the drugstore, tells how he found Mr. Nesbitts body and noticed that cash and cigarettes were missing. Willa Cather Short Stories Five Superb Stories to Read for FREE! 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.' Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. All opinions expressed are uniquely my own. He tells his story through handwritten notes and a typewritten screenplay. For the record, I'm *not* well versed on the horror genre due to my fear of almost every popular culture monster. Bolden testifies that he bought cigarettes from Bobo Evans and that Evans told him about the robbery. When social conservatives oppose something, like - say -. 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. Please wait while we process your payment. 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The book won the John Cawelti prize from the Popular Culture Association for the best book published in pop culture history for 2011. Hades Roman name: Pluto. I'm just saying that throughout the country's history, there have been some pretty dark times. I hoped to expand my interaction in the genre, albeit from an American point of view. From Victorian-era mad scientists to modern-day serial killers. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. You'll also receive an email with the link. I also think this could've used a second editor before being published as there are many typos and grammatical errors, as well as a few points that could've used some fact-checking. The image freezes as the screenplay ends. Monsters arrived in 2011and now they are back. No longer just something that goes bump in the night, Mr. Poole showcases that monsters have more meaning and shed more insight into society than one might have previously suspected. But a third interpretive option exists. 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. $24.99 Excellent study of the machinery of monsters and their meaning Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! But Africans were still human and had their morals, yet the Europeans saw them as a type of monster during the slave trade era. Without cookies your experience may not be seamless. For Poole Halloween means more trick than treat; we discover that the monsters are us. There was a problem loading your book clubs. 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. Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2012. Subscribe now. 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. Friedrich Nietzsche believed we are the monsters. Jacques Ellul Books An Introductory Reading Guide. He is the author of several books, including a biography of H.P Lovecraft, which became a Bram Stoker award finalist, and Wasteland: The Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror. Please wait while we process your payment. Steve is about to stand trial for felony homicide. On Being with Krista Tippett Top 10 Best Episodes! The pages are littered with characterizations which demonize only a conservative set of ideas. Vampira) to explore the history of American sexuality, gender relations and the rebirth of the horror film in post-WW2 America. I seem to be having bad luck with books lately, but the writing style just didnt connect with me. Unless specifically stated in the review, I have purchased all books reviewed. It is an alternative view of history through something that is not necessarily studied in such depth and over such a long period of time. 335 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 in. In a nutshell, monsters for Poole are metaphors / stand-ins for whoever is loathed or feared in a certain historical context. Honoring authors by not reading other reviews ahead of time, I anticipated simple engagement with monstrous intrigue of the horrendous and hideous. Monsters in America: He states that he knows James King and Osvaldo Cruz, but only casually. Please try again. 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. With Monsters in America, W. Scott Poole has given us a guidebook for a journey into nightmare territory. uniquely brings together history and culture studies to expose the dark obsessions that have helped create our national identity. A must read for fans of horror and monsters! If it bleeds, it reads. Not only do they continue to live in our midst, but, as historian Scott Poole shows, these monsters are an important part of our pasta hideous obsession America cannot seem to escape.Pooles central argument in Monsters in America is that monster tales intertwine with Americas troubled history of racism, politics, class struggle, and gender inequality. Study Guides, Friday afternoon, July 17th & December, 5 months later. It is lively and engaging and well researched. Poole explains his parameters of a monsters nature from the outside, in: monsters are a product of our collective hatreds outside the human psyche. By so delimiting his interpretation, Poole mirrors his stated concern for other theories that monster interpretations are reductive and overdeterminative (13-18). SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Thanks to Poole's insights we see the ubiquity of the monster lurking in and around us. InMonsters in America,Scott Poole asks these thought-provoking questions while traveling through American history following the evolution of the monster over time. Poole does justice to judgment; the focus of some horror films. Excerpt. 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. Hafez Poems Five of Our Favorites from the Divan of Hafez, N.T. Societal values impact individuals only as much as we understand an individuals values. The State rests its case. Monsters in America does a bang-up job of demonstrating how our culture helps us achieve some sort of understanding about our world and our lives. Spring 2022 Most Anticipated Books for Christian Readers! Steve is about to stand trial for felony homicide. All content on this blog is protected under US copyright by Michelle Shannon. Poole's book is fantastic, a terrific look at what makes monsters in film resonate in American culture. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Wasteland: The Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror, On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears. Steve calls the movie Monster because that is what the prosecutor has called him. | Before you get all "He's Anti-American!" From 19th century sea serpents to our current Publishers Weekly session with vampires and zombies, Poole plots America's past through its fears in this intriguing sociocultural history. Paperback; 9781481308823; Published: July 2018; $34.99. religious texts and newspaper accounts of "satanic panics" into a highly readable analysis of the concept of the devil in American cultural history. An unexpected guilty pleasure! Well-written and engaging,Monsters in Americais a must-read for anyone fascinated by history or monsters or both. Poole stays far away from polemic and sticks to the facts. I suppose history could be read into just about any object. The kind of monsters depends on the era. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace.