We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. American history from the past to the present. Wendell Berry Poems Seven of Our Favorites! You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Petrocelli presents the charges against the defendants. The Best C.S. BUY . In Monster, Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon's trial. The kind of monsters depends on the era. )1980-present and discuss ways in which the monsters of the era are the products of historical change, conflict and context. Lewis Biography (And Other Biographies /Companion Guides)! If you've got an interest in horror, this is definitely worth a read. Sex and violence are the recurring themes of the book, but Poole always provides context for why they recur so often. I hated this book. Poole's examples are well-chosen and well-explicated. Even fewer scholars do so as adeptly and as entertainingly as W. Scott Poole. If specters of the past still haunt our present, they may yet invade our future. 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.Monsters in America is now online at www.monstersinamerica.com. An excellent study for any student of history or media but also fun and accessible for any fan of monsters and the movies. 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. He tells his story through handwritten notes and a typewritten screenplay. Discount, Discount Code 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. Continue to start your free trial. Available I have an affiliate relationship with several bookstores, including Powells Books and IndieBound. Freedman, Jonathan. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% American history comes at us dripping with gore, victims lying scattered on the ground, eldritch moonlight revealing creeping horrors you never learned from your eighth grade history textbook. Monsters in America is W. Scott Poole's interpretive history. Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon, Baylor University Press (January 15, 2014). There was a problem loading your book clubs. He wrote in his journal. The image freezes as the screenplay ends. Monsters in America does a phenomenal job examining American history through the lens of monsters and the monstrous. Monsters in America has without a doubt earned a spot on my favorite books of 2011. Unfortunately, however, the writing just reads as super amateurish and unnatural--to the point where your brain feels exhausted after slogging through only a couple pages. You can find more scary stories from him on Twitter: @monstersamerica. Best Johnny Cash Books Biographies and More! 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.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. I used this as a textbook for a themed English course: Monsters, Myths, and Magic. OBrien follows and reminds the jury that the State has not proved any of its charges against Steve. . Academic, yet very accessible, I was fascinated by this book, and it holds a very special distinction as the only book I was required to buy for a college class that has earned a permanent place on my bookshelf now that the class is over. Dorothy Sayers Where to Start with her Mystery Novels? Insightful and brilliant! Monster was adapted into a movie of the same name in 2018. The book reflects on the. Christopher Columbus came to the Americas searching for gold, slaves, and monsters. Before you get all "He's Anti-American!" 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. Sabbath Books Best Reads for Christians on Rest and Sabbath! It's also a great way of introducing the idea that you can use different lenses/ways of writing to introduce and discuss topics. In this way he resembles Frankenstein, who alienates himself by pursuing forbidden knowledge. Hades Roman name: Pluto. It felt more like I was reading a college midterm (not even open book), and less like strong literary criticism. The old newspaper adage still holds true today. You'll also receive an email with the link. The atheist taught that inflicting suffering while enjoying the process is human nature. 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. Want 100 or more? What could we extrapolate on the ways we lived and what we believed during each era? Classic Gratitude Poems Joy Harjo, Mary Oliver, MORE. Evil brutes exist inside and outside American neighborhoods. Mark Eckel is Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Professor of Old Testament at Crossroads Bible College. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! For the record, I'm *not* well versed on the horror genre due to my fear of almost every popular culture monster. Poole brings to life American horror stories by framing them within folk belief, religion, and popular culture, broadly unraveling the idea of the monster. I appreciated that in this second edition he shows how our language of the monstrous has played a role in instances like the police shootings of unarmed black people and how visions of dread play into Donald Trump's rhetoric. It is not a book on actual monsters but how Americans find monsters in different eras on social constructs. What I discovered is that Poole should have written two books: his perspective on American history, another on monsters. (254) 710-3164. Well-written and engaging,Monsters in Americais a must-read for anyone fascinated by history or monsters or both. Component 2: Summary. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Perhaps monsters are made in our society more purposefully than we realize. 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. Penn State folklorist Bill Ellis called the book "required reading for . The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Please wait while we process your payment. Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2012. I highly recommend this for fans of the horror genre and anthropology. Poole never assumes a 1-1 metaphor, but he does show how common themes (the reemergence of the vampire at different points in American history, for example) are useful shorthand for working through these anxieties. ! His transitions from movie metaphors to American social ills are often strained if not unconvincing. Forged from a partnership between a university press and a library, Project MUSE is a trusted part of the academic and scholarly community it serves. (1 page) Students will compose a summary of the chapter, highlighting the key elements of Poole's text. He reminds the jury of the witnesses criminal records and contends that their unreliability casts reasonable doubt on Kings guilt. Monsters in America is lively and entertaining throughout. From Victorian-era mad scientists to modern-day serial killers, new monsters appear as American society evolves, paralleling fluctuating challenges to the cultural status quo. While some may believe that there was no conflict between the settlers and the natives, and that, they just coexisted peacefully. He decides to make a movie about his experience. The fear of anything not considered normal or not well-understood e.g. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. 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. 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. 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Honoring authors by not reading other reviews ahead of time, I anticipated simple engagement with monstrous intrigue of the horrendous and hideous. Here's where you'll find analysis of the main themes, motifs, and symbols in Monster. Dracula (1931) is based on the fear of foreigners and disease. 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. From Victorian-era mad scientists to modern-day serial killers, new monsters appear as American society evolves, paralleling fluctuating challenges to the cultural status quo. Subject I have a lot of interest in and the author seems to have done a lot of work/research. I want to start out by saying that I absolutely love the notion behind this book. $24.99 Petrocelli refers to the defendants as monsters in the community. She then calls two witnesses. He is also the author of _Monsters in America_ from Baylor University Press (2011)._Monsters_ explores the American fascination with vampires, zombies, serial killers and even sea serpents, showing how these creatures of our dark obsessions help us to understand the dark and foreboding places in American history. Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. Steve calls the movie Monster because that is what the prosecutor has called him. In 2009, Poole published _Satan in America: The Devil We Know__ (Rowman and Littlefield), a cultural history of the image of Satan in American religion, history and popular culture. Steve Harmon, a Black sixteen-year-old, sits in his jail cell and writes in his notebook. After Steve hears the verdict, he turns to OBrien for a hug. "New light" evangelists of the eighteenth century, enslaved African Americans, demagogic politicians, and modern American film-makers have used the devil to damn their enemies, explain the nature of evil and injustice, mount social crusades, construct a national identity, and express anxiety about matters as . Monsters in America is lively and entertaining throughout. He also makes notes about his movie and about details he observes in court. Now and Always,The Trusted Content Your Research Requires, Now and Always, The Trusted Content Your Research Requires, Built on the Johns Hopkins University Campus. Mr. Pooles evidence is as intriguing as it is informative. Visit the new website for more about the book, upcoming events, and to keep up with Scott Poole's blog. Author: W. Scott Poole Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books ): "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. Asa Briggs, Kings attorney, establishes that the police have no fingerprint evidence. In his new preface and expanded conclusion, Pooles tale connects to the presentillustrating the relationship between current social movements and their historical antecedents. OBrien tells Steve he will have to testify on his own behalf and put some distance between himself and King. The book won the John Cawelti prize from the Popular Culture Association for the best book published in pop culture history for 2011. OBrien reminds jurors of reasonable doubt and states firmly that Steves guilt has not been proven. A.Slavery B.States' rights C.Internal improvements D.Westward expansion. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. "Rue Morgue" magazine called it "the best biography of H.P. Instead it's more about the social function of the monsterous and why people believe what they believe and how different folkloric monsters became popular at different times in history. 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. 20% It is lively and engaging and well researched. but on the whole, an engaging and thought provoking read. Monstrosities exist in us and therefore they are all around us. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Chapters three and four in my copy of the book, for instance, are littered with questions: How did we get here? This is a logical leap! and What??! TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. I found it informative, fascinating, thought-provoking and well-written. Monster is a 1999 young adult novel by Walter Dean Myers. A must read for fans of horror and monsters! Suppose someone wanted to trace American history through the common coffee cup. Salvatore Zinzi, a prisoner at the Rikers Island jail, testifies that another prisoner, Wendell Bolden, told him about the drugstore robbery. 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. Friedrich Nietzsche believed we are the monsters. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Purchasing Best Leonard Cohen Books Biographies and Books by the Songwriter. uniquely brings together history and culture studies to expose the dark obsessions that have helped create our national identity. Pooles excoriation of one homogenous grouping belies the essence of the problem which is our human nature. (Greg Garrett, Faithful Citizenship blogger and author of, One Fine Potion: The Literary Magic of Harry Potter, (John David Smith, Charles H. Stone Distinguished Professor of American History, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte), W. Scott Poole is Professor of History at the College of Charleston. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. 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. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. The jury returns verdicts of guilty for James King and not guilty for Steve Harmon. (one code per order). All rights reserved.