This classic sociological examination of art as collective action explores the cooperative network of suppliers, performers, dealers, critics, and consumers who—along with the artist—"produce" a work of art. Howard S. Becker looks at the conventions essential to this operation and, prospectively, at the extent to which art is shaped by this collective activity. The book is thoroughly illustrated and updated with a new dialogue between Becker and eminent French sociologist Alain Pessin about the extended social system in which art is created, and with a new preface in which the author talks about his own process in creating this influential work.
Added by: drazhar | Karma: 1455.89 | Other | 19 July 2014
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Pearl Harbor 70th Anniversary
You’ve likely seen In Harm’s Way, The Final Countdown and the Michael Bay movie. You’ve heard all about the USS Arizona and the Doolittle raid. But what about the role of the Philippines leading up to the Pearl Harbor attack? Or the political circumstances that made an attack from Japan all but inevitable? What about the other key players in the Pacific—Isoroku Yamamoto and Admiral Chester Nimitz—and their role in the battles that ensued? Have you ever wondered how the war would have changed if the U.S. had actually used its B-17s against Japanese airfields immediately after Pearl Harbor? These and plenty more questions are answered inside.
White Bread: A Social History of the Store-Bought Loaf
How did white bread, once an icon of American progress, become “white trash”? In this lively history of bakers, dietary crusaders, and social reformers, Aaron Bobrow-Strain shows us that what we think about the humble, puffy loaf says a lot about who we are and what we want our society to look like.
White Bread teaches us that when Americans debate what one should eat, they are also wrestling with larger questions of race, class, immigration, and gender.
