He decides to make a movie about his experience. Monster was adapted into a movie of the same name in 2018. The second edition of Monsters leads readers deeper into Americas tangled past to show how monsters continue to haunt contemporary American ideology. An unexpected guilty pleasure! Poole argues that "Monstrous metaphors in American historical life have a way of becoming realthey are intertwined with attitudes and social structures that make the monster possible. If you will, a shining city on hill built on the bodies of natives, blacks, women, and anyone else we dont like very much. This exciting work blends the study of horror films, comic books, religious texts and newspaper accounts of "satanic panics" into a highly readable analysis of the concept of the devil in American cultural 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. All opinions expressed are uniquely my own. is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app. It was the first-ever Michael L. Printz Award recipient, an ALA Best Book, a Coretta Scott King Honor selection, and a National Book Award finalist. The horrible treatment of indigenous peoples and slaverys practice is sin that stains Americas history. Based on new findings and bursting with new interpretations, it offers newcomers and old fans of the America's great horror writer new insight into his life, work, and continuing influence. I found it informative, fascinating, thought-provoking and well-written. You'll also receive an email with the link. 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. I am fiercely passionate about two things: History and Monsters. Not only is America guilty of creating its own horrors, failure to acknowledge monsters also creates them (23). The book's unusual range is one of its contributions; its freshness of juxtaposition is another. Poole brings to life American horror stories by framing them within folk belief, religion, and popular culture, broadly unraveling the idea of the monster. Component 2: Summary. 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.Pooles central argument in Monsters in America is that monster tales intertwine with Americas troubled history of racism, politics, class struggle, and gender inequality. Best Leonard Cohen Books Biographies and Books by the Songwriter. Renews March 11, 2023 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. In the follow-up to his first book, Satan in America, Poole has now turned his attention to the monsters that inhabit American cinema and American imaginations. Please use a different way to share. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. 2715 North Charles StreetBaltimore, Maryland, USA 21218. Michelangelo Biographies Best Books on the Renaissance Artist! 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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. The jail guards come in, and everyone lines up against the wall while they get rubber-gloved. Then it is OBriens turn to present the defense of Steve. 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! IE- minorities = what we are anxious about / obsessed with = the monstrous = monsters. The opening chapter introduces several motifs that will be present throughout the story. Suppose someone wanted to trace American history through the common coffee cup. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. Poole states that, in actuality, that the Europeans saw the natives. The tendency to view American monsters as primarily psychological archetypes ignores how closely they have reflected actual historical events and actual historical victims.". Poole seeks to undermine myths of American exceptionalism by locating monsters that he believes exist outside our psyche, in history. However, this book was FABULOUS! Monster is a 1999 young adult novel by Walter Dean Myers. I used this as a textbook for a themed English course: Monsters, Myths, and Magic. OBrien gathers her papers and moves away, leaving Steve standing with outstretched arms. Thoughts: What makes a monster a monster? The author radically departs from the notion that monsters are a metaphor for our fears through the ages. The defense rests after Sawickis testimony. )1980-present and discuss ways in which the monsters of the era are the products of historical change, conflict and context. These monsters are created by multiple aspects of society and give meaning to the culture as well. on me, relax. All content is original and cannot be copied without permission. If you're looking for an introductory book to the subject, it's a great resource. Willa Cather Short Stories Five Superb Stories to Read for FREE! Asa Briggs, Kings attorney, establishes that the police have no fingerprint evidence. In Monster, Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon's trial. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Dracula (1931) is based on the fear of foreigners and disease. 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. Five months later, Steve is again writing in his notebook. Monsters in America is W. Scott Poole's interpretive history. From our colonial past to the present, the monster in all its various forms has been a staple of American culture. All Rights Reserved. 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. Trick-or-treat! can only mean one thingHalloween. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. He is at home with his parents and his brother Jerry. This is an important book that Id recommend very highly. Excellent study of the machinery of monsters and their meaning in American history. Wendell Berry Poems Seven of Our Favorites! He wrote in his journal. Friedrich Nietzsche believed we are the monsters. Monsters in America does a phenomenal job examining American history through the lens of monsters and the monstrous. 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. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Monsters in America. Imprint: Baylor University Press. Thanks to Poole's insights we see the ubiquity of the monster lurking in and around us. 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. Copyright Thats What She Read 2009-2013. Poole wants to tell a story and take his readers on a journey, and he definitely does so. I'm just saying that throughout the country's history, there have been some pretty dark times. 1960-1980 3. I was thrilled to find a book that went with that mindset. He wrote in his journal The fear of anything not considered normal or not well-understood e.g. He tells his story through handwritten notes and a typewritten screenplay. In the follow-up to his first book. Insightful and brilliant! Pooles bibliography is an additional treat as it includes many excellent books for further reading or study - "1973 Nervous Breakdown: Watergate, Warhol, and the Birth of Post-Sixties America" and "Sacred Terror: Religion and Horror on the Silver Screen" were two titles that jumped out at me thats so full that one could even write their own treatment on the subject. does a bang-up job of demonstrating how our culture helps us achieve some sort of understanding about our world and our lives. Mr. Pooles evidence is as intriguing as it is informative. Highly recommended. It's also a great way of introducing the idea that you can use different lenses/ways of writing to introduce and discuss topics. Anything outside the norm brought about the birth of a monster, which can differ depending on the social, economic, cultural, or political influences of the time. At times in the book a movie director is taken at his word, the reason for his film given authorial intent. Filmmakers create celluloid illusions with that in mind. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Steve also states that he was not at the drugstore on the day of the crime but was walking around thinking about his movie. BUY . 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??! Dorothy Sayers Where to Start with her Mystery Novels? Specifically, he discusses how the stories like "Pocahontas" and "The. IE- minorities = what we are anxious about / obsessed with = the monstrous = monsters. The brother of Zeus and Poseidon, Hades rules the underworld, the realm of the dead, with his wife, Persephone. Eastern Orthodoxy Essential Books [A Reading List]. Edna St. Vincent Millay Five of our Favorite Poems ! Bram Stoker Award finalist W. Scott Poole is the author of numerous books and articles on monsters and mayhem in popular culture. 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). Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. There he teaches courses on monsters, pop culture, and American history. He reminds the jury of the witnesses criminal records and contends that their unreliability casts reasonable doubt on Kings guilt. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. Poole stays far away from polemic and sticks to the facts. Human beings made him declare "war" by treating him like an enemy. Reading this for research for a paper I am writing for a creative nonfiction class for college, but what an interesting book regardless! (254) 710-3164. When social conservatives oppose something, like - say -. She asks the jury to recall how Steve conducted himself on the witness stand and to compare Steve with Sal Zinzi, Bobo Evans, and Osvaldo Cruz before they decide who is believable. It is lively and engaging and well researched. After readingMonsters in America, a reader will view monsters in a completely different light. We've quickly looked at a wide variety of Native Cultures across the Americas. The kind of monsters depends on the era. At the very end, Poole implies that for what has gone before, it could very well get worse. This book is a wonderful introduction to American history through the lens of monsters. Dorothy Sayers Poems Five of Our Favorites! Probably more 3.5 stars. See a complete Character List for Monster, as well as in-depth analysis of its most important characters. Monsters in America is W. Scott Pooles interpretive history. Design by Booyah Creative. Just watch any local news program and you'll see what I mean. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. (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. It is not just about film and fiction, but the cultural events that mirrored the works on the screen and in our nightmares. 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. Which one would you like to know more about and why? No historically reflective Christian would disagree with Pooles castigation of wrongdoings by some Americans. Excellent study of the machinery of monsters and their meaning in American history. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. Poole does justice to judgment; the focus of some horror films. Browning's research, including extensive field work in New Orleans, has uncovered a subculture of . His new book, forthcoming this fall and available for pre-order, is _Wasteland: The Great War and the Roots of Modern Horror_. I seem to be having bad luck with books lately, but the writing style just didnt connect with me. Numerous scholars explore the cultural and political implications of monster and horror films for the times from which they emerge. Few scholars connect such implications across broader expanses of time to reveal how intrinsically monsters and the horrific have been bound up in the history of America. Stamped on American culture, the phrase brings to mind images of costumes, plastic masks, and parents holding the hands of little monsters as they collect candy calories. For the record, I'm *not* well versed on the horror genre due to my fear of almost every popular culture monster. Good references in the book that I looked up to further read about horror movies and their importance to our sociological perspective. Scott - For All Who Hunger - Feature Review, Mattix & Thomas, Eds - Christian Poetry in America Since, Copyright 2023 The Englewood Review of Books. However, at times the overt political messages can be more aggressive than effective, the book frequently covers more breadth than depth, and I was left without a clear sense of how monsters in America (US, presumably, rather than hemispheric) differed from those in international nightmares--or how the globalization of monster culture influenced American culture. These summaries should not exceed one page in length. Well-written and engaging,Monsters in Americais a must-read for anyone fascinated by history or monsters or both. I highly recommend this for fans of the horror genre and anthropology. Buy now: [ Amazon ] [ Kindle ]. From 19th century sea serpents to our current. However, his interpretations and implications are nothing less than threatening to whatever status quo our authorities would prefer us to maintain. Here we not only meet such monsters but also discover America's cultural monstrosity. Instead of representing the "us vs them" mentality, monsters are much closer so home: they are us. incredibly rewarding and fulfilling reading. Monsters in America has without a doubt earned a spot on my favorite books of 2011. Monsters arrived in 2011and now they are back. You'll also receive an email with the link. 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. Dont have an account? As W. Scott Poole's text will serve as the conceptual framework for the course, this assignment seeks to promote regular critical engagement with the text. I had trouble finding a consistent narrative in a book that talked about sea monsters, Bigfoot, Universal Movie Monsters, Freak-shows, and several other topics, and never spending enough time on any of them to feel like I was more informed after reading. ", In 2014 he published _Vampira: Dark Goddess of Horror_ that looked at the life of 1950s horror host Maila Nurmi (a.k.a. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Detectives Karyl and Williams describe their arrival at the crime scene. religious texts and newspaper accounts of "satanic panics" into a highly readable analysis of the concept of the devil in American cultural history. Mrs. Henry testifies to being in the drugstore and seeing two young Black men arguing with the store owner. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. Societal values impact individuals only as much as we understand an individuals values. "Rue Morgue" magazine called it "the best biography of H.P. Available (1 page) Students will compose a summary of the chapter, highlighting the key elements of Poole's text. Usually just called Athena, this goddess emerges from Zeus's head fully-grown and armed. Please wait while we process your payment. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. I had to read this for a class (one I wasn't too stoked about, if I'm being honest) and went into it with a pretty closed mind. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Continue to start your free trial. For me, there are intertwined. (The medical examiners evidence suggests that the shooter was probably right-handed.) Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! When, meeting the natives, he saw their way of life as barbaric and uncivilized. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. The evidence that Poole provides . But honestly, most folks go to horror films for what they would say is the hell of it. Some people enjoy being scared, period. These summaries should not . It's a comprehensive look into ghoulish, weird, and woke world--10/10. Visit the new website for more about the book, upcoming events, and to keep up with Scott Poole's blog. Dallas Willard Books Seven Essential Titles to Read! For my own part, I have been studying and writing about Gothic horror for some years. Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. Monsters in America: The jury returns verdicts of guilty for James King and not guilty for Steve Harmon. Christopher Columbus came to the Americas searching for gold, slaves, and monsters. Suppose someone wanted to trace American history through the common coffee cup. 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. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% All affiliate income is used to support the blog. March 4, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 SparkNotes PLUS InMonsters in America,Scott Poole asks these thought-provoking questions while traveling through American history following the evolution of the monster over time. While Poole is an academic his book is anything but dry. Steve records suicidal thoughts and violent prison incidents. He states that he knows James King and Osvaldo Cruz, but only casually. During the robbery, Aguinaldo Nesbitt, the fifty-five-year-old owner of the store, was killed. "Sick," published by Abrams/Amulet). Petrocelli also calls an eyewitness, Mrs. Lorelle Henry, to the stand. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% March 4, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 I loved this book. Please try again. (And as someone who lives with a history PhD and who briefly pursued graduate studies in history myself, I like to believe that I know from whence I speak.) She identifies James King as being one of the two young men. Produced by Johns Hopkins University Press in collaboration with The Sheridan Libraries. Monsters in America (2nd ed.) Fall 2022 Most Anticipated Books for Christian Readers! Petrocelli, OBrien, and Briggs make opening statements on the first day of Steves trial. The image freezes as the screenplay ends. I suppose history could be read into just about any object. Poole summarizes, Perhaps our own beliefs about monsters and their intractable nature help to produce the monsters we fear the most (164). Satan in America tells the story of America's complicated relationship with the devil. 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]. Perhaps monsters are made in our society more purposefully than we realize. She continues to assert that Steve served as the lookout for the robbery and is as guilty as the others. He wonders what OBrien saw. 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. Copyright 2023 That's What She Read. 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. You can view our. When meeting the natives, he saw their way of life as barbaric and uncivilized. 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. OBrien tells Steve he will have to testify on his own behalf and put some distance between himself and King. It is not a book on actual monsters but how Americans find monsters in different eras on social constructs. I feel like three stars is generous for a book that did not bring me any new insights, but it was neither especially good nor especially bad. We can anticipate either alien salvation or judgment from beyond. 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 sparknotes