The book's unusual range is one of its contributions; its freshness of juxtaposition is another. 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. Mark Eckel is Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Professor of Old Testament at Crossroads Bible College. Monster is told as a first-person account by Steve Harmon, a Black teenager on trial for felony murder in New York. No historically reflective Christian would disagree with Pooles castigation of wrongdoings by some Americans. (one code per order). It's also a great way of introducing the idea that you can use different lenses/ways of writing to introduce and discuss topics. Monsters in America is W. Scott Pooles interpretive history. 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. He is at home with his parents and his brother Jerry. The author radically departs from the notion that monsters are a metaphor for our fears through the ages. Satan in America tells the story of America's complicated relationship with the devil. It's organized well also: a chapter on one specific type of monster and era makes for a really focused and easy to digest historical examination. 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. Good references in the book that I looked up to further read about horror movies and their importance to our sociological perspective. A masterful survey of our grim and often disturbing past, Monsters in. Jos Delgado, an employee of the drugstore, tells how he found Mr. Nesbitts body and noticed that cash and cigarettes were missing. Monsters in America. Before you get all "He's Anti-American!" Christopher Columbus came to the Americas searching for gold, slaves, and monsters. A.They would back the federal government against another state B.They would support, What issue was at the root of the nullification crisis of 1832, which turned many Virginia Republicans against Andrew Jackson? With Monsters in America, W. Scott Poole has given us a guidebook for a journey into nightmare territory. Definitions of the monster, he adds, change over time and with each generation. Subscribe now. The fear of anything not considered normal or not well-understood e.g. The horrible treatment of indigenous peoples and slaverys practice is sin that stains Americas history. The Monthly Kindle Ebook Sale March 2023, 5 Essential Ebook Deals for Church Leaders 23 February 2023, 5 Essential Ebook Deals for Church Leaders 16 February 2023, Rumi Poems Eight of Our Favorites by the Sufi Mystic, Walt Whitman Poems 8 of our Favorites from Leaves of Grass, Alexander Pushkin Five Poems by the Russian Poet, Against Christian Nationalism: Essential Books [A Reading Guide]. Would that Poole could have written a chapter on one of the liberal American horror shows: 50 million babies slaughtered through this countrys abortion industry. 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. Please wait while we process your payment. Newer movies like "Terminator," shows what happens when we place our trust in machines. Evil brutes exist inside and outside American neighborhoods. For the record, I'm *not* well versed on the horror genre due to my fear of almost every popular culture monster. "The American past reads like something of a horror movie, maybe even a low-budget slasher. She continues to assert that Steve served as the lookout for the robbery and is as guilty as the others. Continue to start your free trial. Monster is told as a first-person account by Steve Harmon, a Black teenager on trial for felony murder in New York. [Pooles] book is sufficiently clear and engaging for general readers to enjoy and would make a worthwhile addition to undergraduate course in American history or culture. All rights reserved. Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2014. 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. But a third interpretive option exists. 62 reviews Salem witches, frontier wilderness beasts, freak show oddities, alien invasions, Freddie Krueger. The evidence that Poole provides . Books About Race in America; Coretta Scott . 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Select a location to see product availability. IE- minorities = what we are anxious about / obsessed with = the monstrous = monsters. Which one would you like to know more about and why? 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. Renews March 11, 2023 Excellent study of the machinery of monsters and their meaning in American history. A Midsummer Night's Dream (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes QUICK ADD Macbeth (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes QUICK ADD Hamlet (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes QUICK ADD Julius Caesar (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes QUICK ADD Othello (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes QUICK ADD Twelfth Night (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes The old newspaper adage still holds true today. Howard Thurman Books An Introductory Reading Guide. The brother of Zeus and Poseidon, Hades rules the underworld, the realm of the dead, with his wife, Persephone. SparkNotes PLUS Monsters in America is an important contribution, and it will be enjoyed by literary and cultural historians alike. I was pretty fascinated through this whole book. I. Poole is also a Professor of History at the College of Charleston where he teaches courses on monsters in American history, Satan in folk belief and pop culture and the history of religion and race in American life . The atheist taught that inflicting suffering while enjoying the process is human nature. The author explores American History and how people's fears and reactions to changes in society both affected and were affected by monsters in print and film. One wishes for a consistency in commentary. for a group? 1 (1998): 90-102. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. Judging from the verbiage, Pooles sub-text for the American monster is conservative-Christian-white-heterosexual-Republican. He rightly frets over our technology which ineffectively obscures the divine and so Americans create vampire stories which take Gods place (59): Americans are still attempting to apprehend mystery in the midst of supernatural confusion (11). (254) 710-3164. Steves parents are glad he is home, but the distance between Steve and his father is growing. FABULOUS! Poole summarizes, Perhaps our own beliefs about monsters and their intractable nature help to produce the monsters we fear the most (164). OBrien tells Steve he will have to testify on his own behalf and put some distance between himself and King. Without cookies your experience may not be seamless. History is horror. There was a problem loading your book clubs. 2023 Project MUSE. IE- minorities = what we are anxious about / obsessed with = the monstrous = monsters. I hated this book. Want 100 or more? Date. The new edition extends this analysis to shed light on some of the darker developments in recent American political culture. 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. It is not just about film and fiction, but the cultural events that mirrored the works on the screen and in our nightmares. Poole brings to life American horror stories by framing them within folk belief, religion, and popular culture, broadly unraveling the idea of the monster. Produced by Johns Hopkins University Press in collaboration with The Sheridan Libraries. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. I would love something like this for the UK. This is such an interesting and compelling about our connection to the monstrous and the monstrous' role in expressing national anxieties in our popular media. Dracula (1931) is based on the fear of foreigners and disease. Spring 2022 Most Anticipated Books for Christian Readers! Ten Important Women Theologians To Start Reading. This book is a wonderful introduction to American history through the lens of monsters. 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. Michelangelo Biographies Best Books on the Renaissance Artist! Monsters in America Project. The defense rests after Sawickis testimony. The different types of monsters, whether cultural, supernatural, or moral, all contribute to the meaning of American culture. In "Monstrous beginnings," the introductory chapter of "Monsters in America: Our Historical, Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting" by W. Scott Poole, the author makes an argument, about how monsters were not only used as entertainment, but were also used as an excuse to, justify the offenses done to the Native Americans as well as the slaves brought from Africa by, the European settlers. Poole's book is fantastic, a terrific look at what makes monsters in film resonate in American culture. Probably more 3.5 stars. Petrocelli presents the charges against the defendants. Steve worries about why OBrien turned away from him after winning the case. Hafez Poems Five of Our Favorites from the Divan of Hafez, N.T. I found it informative, fascinating, thought-provoking and well-written. Best Johnny Cash Books Biographies and More! We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Pooles excoriation of one homogenous grouping belies the essence of the problem which is our human nature. Visit the new website for more about the book, upcoming events, and to keep up with Scott Poole's blog. Human beings made him declare "war" by treating him like an enemy. 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. 20% If you've got an interest in horror, this is definitely worth a read. View all The second edition of Monsters leads readers deeper into Americas tangled past to show how monsters continue to haunt contemporary American ideology. Monsters In America challenges, enlightens, and, quite honestly, frightens in its prescient view of American history, . (Christopher James Blythe, Florida State University, (John W. Morehead, editor, www.TheoFantastique.com). The jail guards come in, and everyone lines up against the wall while they get rubber-gloved. 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. These summaries should not . Willa Cather Short Stories Five Superb Stories to Read for FREE! Learn how your comment data is processed. The Monster feels completely alienated: "none among the myriads of men" will take pity on him. does a bang-up job of demonstrating how our culture helps us achieve some sort of understanding about our world and our lives. Connect with him online at: C-Christopher-Smith.com, "This book will inspire, motivate and challenge anyone who cares a whit about the written word, the world of ideas, the shape of our communities. She explains that some jurors have decided against him just because he is young and Black, so Steve has to make the jury see him as different from the other defendants. Purchasing She tells the jury that James King and Steve Harmon, along with two other criminals, robbed a drugstore. He wrote in his journal. Associated with war, cleverness, and wit, it is no surprise that she favors Odysseus. . Antiracism Books for Christians A Reading Guide, Thomas Merton Books An Intro Reading Guide. But then, I dislike any historical book that loses its sense of historical relativity as well as any book about phenomena that automatically assumes a phenomenon is false and therefore ripe for being disproved and easily rationalized away. 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. 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). A.Slavery B.States' rights C.Internal improvements D.Westward expansion. Monsters in America does a phenomenal job examining American history through the lens of monsters and the monstrous. "Angels, Monsters, and Jews: Intersections of Queer and Jewish Identity in Kushner's "Angels in America."" PMLA 113, no. It is lively and engaging and well researched. 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. Poole seeks to undermine myths of American exceptionalism by locating monsters that he believes exist outside our psyche, in history. Salem witches, frontier wilderness beasts, freak show oddities, alien invasions, Freddie Krueger. 20% Simplistic and not incredibly thoughtful, but useful for my purposes, Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2012. For Poole Halloween means more trick than treat; we discover that the monsters are us. Title and sub-title encouraged my interest in securing a copy of Monsters in America for review. Poole brings to life American horror stories by framing them within folk belief, religion, and popular culture, broadly unraveling the idea of the monster. Asa Briggs, Kings attorney, establishes that the police have no fingerprint evidence. Twelve Important Theology Books of 2021!!! Salem witches, frontier wilderness beasts, freak show oddities, alien invasions, Freddie Krueger. The kind of monsters depends on the era. . The book made a few strong points, but ultimately it was a mediocre read. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Not only that, but Sandra Petrocelli, the State prosecutor, is a very good lawyer. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% You'll also receive an email with the link. 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. But too often he ascribes American injustices with little more than a metaphorical connection to monster movies. 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. Free trial is available to new customers only. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2012. 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. 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??! For the record, I'm *not* well versed on the horror genre due to my fear of almost every popular culture monster. Spring 2021 Most Anticipated Books for Christian Readers! This book is a wonderful introduction to American history through the lens of monsters. In the end, though, I could easily see assigning parts of this book to undergraduates. Filmmakers create celluloid illusions with that in mind. OBrien follows and reminds the jury that the State has not proved any of its charges against Steve. During the robbery, Aguinaldo Nesbitt, the fifty-five-year-old owner of the store, was killed. Dorothy Sayers Poems Five of Our Favorites! You can view our. You can find more scary stories from him on Twitter: @monstersamerica. While real monsters do exist, the reality of our own monstrosities mirrors not a national heritage as much as our human heritage. 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. Dont have an account? If you view everything that has happened in the last ten thousand years as an atrocity committed by (American) White Anglo-Saxon Protestant men against the wide-eyed, helpless, innocent (and rather stupid) non-male/non-white world in a concerted race (or gender where convenient) war and stolidly ignore all contrary evidence, the world is full of monsters. 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. Please try again. The medical examiner states the time of Mr. Nesbitts death. These monsters are created by multiple aspects of society and give meaning to the culture as well. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. new monsters appear as American society evolves, paralleling fluctuating challenges to the cultural status quo. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! , Poole has now turned his attention to the monsters that inhabit American cinema and American imaginations. for a group? In some ways, this felt more like a book about racism and sexism on celluloid and in politics than a book about "Monsters." The man immediately begins screaming about something hidden in the mist that is attacking and killing people. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Poole presents his findings methodically through well-documented facts and similar studies. Through the two and a half weeks I took with this book, I have been citing it in conversation. Friday afternoon, July 17th & December, 5 months later. 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. Steve tells his story through handwritten notes as in a journal and a typewritten screenplay. Evans states that King was his partner in the robbery and that Steve served as the lookout. 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? The image freezes as the screenplay ends. for a customized plan. Read the chapter-by-chapter Summary & Analysis, a Full Book Summary, or Full Book Analysis of Monster. Name: Kim Hoan Tran Dr. Che 07/08/2019 Summary Paper Summary of Monstrous Beginning In Monster in America written by W. Scott Poole, especially the chapter called "Monstrous Beginnings". Please provide specific examples to support your answers. Penn State folklorist Bill Ellis called the book "required reading for anyone who wants to understand the dark roots of America culture." by W. Scott Poole. They are manifestations of our society. For me, there are intertwined. 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. Frontier wilderness beasts, Freddie Krueger, witches of Salem, alien invasions, and freak show oddities are some of the monstrous creatures. 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. Salem witches, frontier wilderness beasts, freak show oddities, alien invasions, Freddie Krueger. Subject I have a lot of interest in and the author seems to have done a lot of work/research. Sawicki states that he believes in Steves honesty as a filmmaker and as a person. Societal values impact individuals only as much as we understand an individuals values. Jacques Ellul Books An Introductory Reading Guide. Petrocelli, the State prosecutor, calls more witnesses to establish the facts of the crime. It was just way too "all over the place" for me. Emily Dickinson Poems Seven of our Favorites! Insightful and brilliant! W. Scott Poole is Professor of History at the College of Charleston. The tendency to view American monsters as primarily psychological archetypes ignores how closely they have reflected actual historical events and actual historical victims.".

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