In this introduction to the subject of popular music, the author examines the history and influence of recording technology on popular music and develops a critical analysis of the interplay between technology, sound and creativity. It explains the connections between popular music, technology and mass communication and fills an important gap in the study of popular music.
Exploring the significance of brands in American society, this book employs a cultural studies approach enriched with illustrations and the author's drawings. It delves into various theories, including semiotics and psychoanalysis, to analyze consumer culture. By incorporating insights from notable thinkers, the text provides a comprehensive understanding of the complexities and influences of branding in contemporary life.
Addressing junior scholars and graduate students, this work talks about the process and products of academic writing. It also differentiates between business writing skills for memos, proposals, and reports, and the scholarly writing that occurs in journals and books.
Al Capp's cartoon of Dogpatch's favorite son revealed as satiric culture of the common man
Eliot Glumpe, the president of Mid California State University, is murdered while dining in the middle of a crowded room. A small poison dart is found in his thigh. How did the murderer do it? There were many people who hated Glumpe. Which of them hated him enough to kill him? Die Laughing is a humorous mystery that explores the inner workings of academic life and offers insights into the comedy of life.
Coffee, Comforters, and the Secret Meaning of Everyday Life
Coffee, comforters, king-sized beds, gel toothpaste, razors, underwear, the morning shower-all activities and objects we have tended to pay no attention to-until the publication of this book. In a series of short vignettes endearingly illustrated by the author, Arthur Asa Berger gives Americans a profound way to understand their morning rituals.Have you ever considered, for instance, that the digital clock, by producing free-floating liquid numerals disconnecting us from both time past and time future, could be interpreted as a metaphor for the alienation many people feel in contemporary society? Or consider our The pajama is the most immediate witness to our sexual activities; thus, we cover our pajamas with a bathrobe to guard against the anxiety of being revealed to other family members. The pajama is intricately connected to human shame.Bloom's Morning, with thirty-six short chapters bracketed by brief essays on the nature of semiotic analysis, is a perfect book for the inquisitive mind. It is chock-full of valuable and quirky nuggets from this most interesting of social commentators-items that, taken together, give us a new vision through which to understand ourselves.
Examining the impact of mass media, this study delves into how television and popular arts influence American culture and daily life. With statistics highlighting the extensive time spent on television, it explores the ways these mediums shape perceptions, behaviors, and societal norms, revealing their significant role in our collective experience.
Focusing on postmodern thought, this textbook introduces key thinkers and their perspectives while connecting them to everyday life. It features selected passages from significant works alongside the author's interpretations, enhancing cultural understanding. The engaging, conversational style is complemented by cases, illustrations, and photographs, including discussions on life during pandemic restrictions. Ideal for students in sociology, cultural anthropology, media studies, linguistics, and social philosophy, it serves as a comprehensive resource for understanding postmodernism.
The collection offers a unique glimpse into the American music scene through the eyes of Arthur Berger, who shares his experiences from the 1930s onward. Berger recounts his time with avant-garde composers under Aaron Copland's mentorship and his involvement at Harvard with Stravinsky. As a prominent critic and journalist, he reflects on music's role in contemporary life and the impact of academic changes on music composition and education. His insightful essays are marked by wit and a deep understanding of the evolving landscape of American music.