Showing titles in History & Criticism

In the tradition of Neil Postman's masterpiece Amusing Ourselves to Death, Audience of One shows how American media have shaped American society and politics, by interweaving two crucial stories. The first story follows the evolution of television from the three-network era of the 20th century, which joined millions of Americans in a shared monoculture, into today's zillion-channel, internet-atomized universe, which sliced and diced them into fractious, alienated subcultures. The second story is a cultural critique of Donald Trump. 

In Blood Feud, Colorado Avalanche beat writer Adrian Dater not only submits that the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry was the most feverish match-up in recent years, but also that there was none better played. No fewer than twenty players have or will eventually make it to the Hall of Fame; the best...

'I loved it, and I'm sure you will too' - Joe Lycett 'A captivating memoir: illuminating, witty, and tremendously moving' - Nigella Lawson 'A tender portrait of the importance of TV' - Jack Thorne Two very gay things happened in the space of 24 hours in October 2003. Coronation Street aired its...

America’s most trusted and best-known film critic Roger Ebert presents two hundred brilliant essays on some of the best movies ever made in this two-book collection containing THE GREAT MOVIES and THE GREAT MOVIES II. Roger Ebert, the famed film writer and critic, wrote biweekly essays for a...

A guide to understanding the major genres of the story world by the legendary writing teacher and author of The Anatomy of Story John Truby. Most people think genres are simply categories on Netflix or Amazon that provide a helpful guide to making entertainment choices. Most people are wrong...

As part of the legendary comedy team known as Nichols and May, May revolutionized sketch comedy before striking out on her own to make history as the third woman to be admitted into the Directors Guild of America when she wrote, directed, and starred in 1971s A New Leaf. Throughout the 1970s and...

Theyre not going to catch us, Dan Aykroyd, as Elwood Blues, tells his brother Jake, played by John Belushi. Were on a mission from God. So opens the musical action comedy The Blues Brothers, which hit theaters on June 20, 1980. Their scripted mission was to save a local Chicago orphanage. But...

Trace the energetic sports history of a quiet British pub game that transformed into a global pop culture spectacle. Perfect for your morning commute, this engaging narrative transports you from the smoky taverns of twentieth-century Britain to the roaring, brightly lit arenas of modern...

Trace the fascinating technological history of how a crude laboratory experiment completely rewired global pop culture. Whether you are seeking a thought-provoking commute or unwinding with a deeply nostalgic look at the past, this narrative captures the relentless evolution of our living rooms...

Trace the evolution of animation from simple optical toys to the modern CGI revolution in this energetic film history. Perfect for an inspiring commute or a nostalgic escape, this journey reveals how visionary artists taught still drawings to breathe, think, and feel. Step inside the bustling...

Uncover the gripping sociology and media history behind the glowing screen that quietly rewired human consciousness. Perfect for an analytical morning commute, this engaging narrative traces the rise of broadcasting from a fascinating laboratory curiosity into an omnipresent political and...

Experience the captivating evolution of film history, transforming silent shadow play into a global cinematic powerhouse. Whether you need an inspiring deep-focus listen for your morning commute or a nostalgic dive into pop culture, this audio journey captures our relentless desire to share...

Uncover how a dry desert basin transformed into a global metropolis built on cinematic history and ruthless ambition. Perfect for your daily commute, this gripping urban history exposes the raw human engine driving the entertainment capital of the world. Experience the fierce clash between a...

Dive into an immersive cultural history where underground cinema confronts political power and sparks social revolution. Perfect for your daily commute, this deeply researched narrative transforms movie screens into battlegrounds of censorship, class warfare, and digital activism. Whether you...

Experience a thrilling pop culture history of how restless inventors and shrewd moguls built our entertainment empire. Perfect for your daily commute, this immersive narrative transforms dry facts into an energetic saga of technology, money, and art colliding. Whether you are a lifelong...

A gripping behind-the-scenes account of one of the most influential news programs in American history, featuring a foreword by veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley, whose recent dismissal from CBS News has renewed national attention on the fight for journalistic integrity and preserving...

Since the murder of Sharon Tate in 1969, the names Charles Manson and Roman Polanski have been brutally linked. But new analysis of the parallel and intertwining stories of these two men reveals a connection that preceded that fateful day. In their early years Manson and Polanski both developed...

From the creator of the highly popular Kardashian Kolloquium comes a new media manifesto for the TikTok age, blending theory and cultural analysis to explain the meteoric rise of the Kardashians and explore what their fame can teach us about the way media functions today “By far the best book...

The definitive oral history of the 1967 novel for teens, turned blockbuster film turned Tony-winning musical, and commemorated with a newly opened museum. This groundbreaking story has managed to stay gold for nearly sixty years. *Includes interviews with Rob Lowe, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas...

America’s most trusted and best-known film critic Roger Ebert presents one hundred brilliant essays on some of the best movies ever made. Roger Ebert, the famed film writer and critic, wrote biweekly essays for a feature called "The Great Movies," in which he offered a fresh and fervent...