Product Description: This book should be of interest to students of communication and media studies.

A critical history of American burlesque traces its social, demographic, and cultural changes

Celebrating the lively dance music that draws together generations of Polish Americans, "Polka Happiness" captures the energy, excitement, and shared sense of belonging embodied in polka sociability. With rich descriptive material and 150 historical and contemporary illustrations, the book focuses on the musicians, the fans and the cultural institutions that keep the polka party going. From family gatherings and weddings to local fan clubs, night spots and churches to national and regional festivals, the polka scene is a year-round carnival, full of high jinks, hilarity, ethnic pride and tears an intensely felt experience drawn from sources deep in Polish America. The testimony of musicians and fans, old timers and young enthusiasts, tells how polka culture has resisted the melting pot for more than a century. Interviews, memorabilia and photographs spotlight the stars of the polka world Li'l Wally, Walt Solek, Eddie Blazonczyk, Frankie Yankovic, the Dyna-Tones as well as the many regional favorites in Buffalo, Milwaukee and Chicago that have delighted millions of fans. "Polka Happiness" chronicles the immense popularity of the music in nineteenth century Europe and its enduring popularity in the United States. After tracing the history of polka's spread throughout the world, the authors focus on the emergence and intense rivalry of the Chicago and Eastern styles in the United States. The book also traces the role of the International Polka Association in establishing networks, promoting events and providing an environment in which Polish Americans can celebrate and nourish their cultural heritage. For twenty years, the authors have been part of the social world of polka music and dancing in the bars, church halls and ballrooms of Rust Belt America; their exuberant descriptions reflect the enthusiasm of wholehearted participants. Author note: Charles Keil is Professor of American Studies at State University of New York, Buffalo, and the author of "Tiv Song and Urban Blues". Angeliki V. Keil is a writer and researcher and the compiler of an autobiography of Markos Vamvakaris. Dick Blau is Professor of Film at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Looks at the early newspaper accounts of football, and argues that football came to embody ideals of order, teamwork, and manliness (view table of contents)

Portrays various Hollywood celebrities with American presidents

"Cullen's strength comes from his understanding of how the different strands of American society intertwine in imaginative, unpredictable ways ... The shape and vitality of pop culture's next era will depend, at least in part, on commentators like Cullen."—Washington Post Book World "A thoroughly engaging look at American culture ... Cullen's articulate prose is spiced with wicked wit and he loves a good story ... Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of complex cultural forces."—Publishers Weekly "Reflecting both the strengths and weaknesses of an unusually dynamic area of historical scholarship, The Art of Democracy is one of the best surveys of the history of American popular culture."—Journal of American History "An exceptionally well-written and engrossing introduction to the nonelitist art forms of American popular culture ... Highly recommended."—Library Journal, starred review "Should be kept on hand to restore our faith in the things that matter to us."—American Studies Popular culture has been a powerful force in the United States, resonating within the society as a whole and at the same time connecting disparate and even hostile constituencies. The novels of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the theater and minstrel shows of the mid-19th century, movies and the introduction of television and computers in the 20th century are the building blocks that Jim Cullen uses to show how unique and vibrant cultural forms overcame initial resistance and enabled historically marginalized groups to gain access to the fruits of society and recognition from the mainstream. This updated edition contains a new preface and final chapter which traces the history of contemporary computing from its World War II origins as a military tool to its widespread use in the late 20th century as a tool for the masses. Cullen shows how the computer is reshaping popular culture, and how that culture retains its capacity to surprise and disturb. The highly acclaimed first edition of The Art of Democracy won the 1996 Ray and Pat Brown Award for "Best Book," presented by the Popular Culture Association.

Title: From Tupelo to Woodstock: Youth, Race, and Rock-And-Roll in America 1954-1969 (view table of contents)

A revisionist history of North America from 1492 to the present combines photos, text, and maps to reveal many forgotten facts that shaped American heritage. 15,000 first printing. $10,000 ad/promo.

The author takes readers on a tour of his personal museum of natural oddities and optical illusions as he explores the imaginative origins of art and science, in a work nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Reprint. 15,000 first printing.

Cheerleading has become a staple in American culture. The cheerleader straddles two contradictory symbolic poles. This individual is an instantly recognized figure representing youthful attractiveness, leadership, and popularity. Yet, for many, the cheerleader is seen as epitomizing mindless enthusiasm, shallow boosterism, and objectified sexuality. This contradictory view is explored in this extensively documented book.

How media versions of Cooper's classic frontier novel have perpetuated the myth of "America."

Presents a study of baseball card collecting in the upper Midwest from the late 1980s into the 1990s

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Does technology alter our ways of being in and perceiving the world, or does it merely serve as a conduit for predetermined patterns of culture? In addressing this question, Popular Modernity in America examines a broad range of related cultural and technological phenomena from Bing Crosby to Ice Cube, from the invention of the telegraph to the celebratory heralding of the internet in the 1990s that have helped shape American popular culture over the past 150 years. Throughout, it avoids the binaries that label popular culture as inherently liberatory or subtly oppressive, arguing instead for the triadic relationship of experience, technology, and myth, each of which has an active role to play in how we interact with popular culture." (view table of contents)

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Offers a guide to the locations of significant popular culture events, including the crash of the Hindenburg, the 'Saturday Night Fever' disco, the first MacDonald's location, and the 'American Bandstand' studio.

Presents a close-up look at malls and their strong role in American culture, from their architectural design and alluring displays to the hidden security cameras and the illusions created to attract shoppers, in an instructive, historical view of American values, consumerism, and the myth surrounding the obsession with consumption. 15,000 first printing. (Business & Finance)

Provides an entertaining and informative journey inside America's pop culture landmarks and events, including the salon where Marilyn Monroe first dyed her hair blonde and the birthplace of the hot fudge sundae, among other not-to-be-missed locales. Original.