Who's better? Billie Holiday or P. J. Harvey? Blur or Oasis? Dylan or Keats? And how many friendships have ridden on the answer? Such questions aren't merely the stuff of fanzines and idle talk; they inform our most passionate arguments, distill our most deeply held values, make meaning of our ever-changing culture. In Performing Rites, one of the ...more

Finally in paperback, the story of the musical revolution that happened right under the nose of the Reagan Eighties- when a small but sprawling network of bands, labels, fanzines, radio stations, and other subversives reenergized American rock with punk rock's do-it-yourself credo and created music that was deeply personal, often brilliant, always ...more

Taking readers on a provocative tour through thirty years of media images about mothers -- the superficial achievements of celebrity moms, the sensational coverage of dangerous day care, the media-manufactured "mommy wars" between working mothers and stay-at-home moms, and more -- The Mommy Myth contends that this "new momism" has been shaped by ou...more

Borrowing from Homer, Atwood turns the story of THE ODYSSEY on its head. Told through the eyes of Penelope, Odysseus's faithful wife, THE PENELOPIAD focuses on her life waiting for his return and on the lives of the ill-fated maidens surrounding her. In THE ODYSSEY, Odysseus orders his son to kill not only the suitors who have pursued his wife but...more

“A balanced yet biting critique . . . Gitlin is a savvy guide to our increasingly kinetic times.”—San Francisco Chronicle In this original look at our electronically glutted, speed-addicted world, Todd Gitlin evokes a reality of relentless sensation, instant transition, and nonstop stimulus, which he argues is anything but progress. He shows...more

A writer and activist investigates corporate America's inroads into—and alliances with—the cultural underground."There's an industry around you that works, whether you agree with it or not."—Alec Bourgeois, Dischord Records label managerFor years the do-it-yourself (DIY)/punk underground has worked against the logic of mass production and cre...more

One of Robbins most popular novels, this is a sort of love story that takes place inside a pack of Camel cigarettes. It reveals the purpose of the moon, explains the difference between criminals and outlaws, and paints a portrait of contemporary society that includes powerful Arabs, exiled royalty, and pregnant cheerleaders. It also deals with the ...more

The power of music in everyday life is widely recognized and this is reflected in social theory from Plato to Adorno that portrays music as an influence on character, social structure and action. This book uses a series of ethnographic studies and in-depth interviews to show how music is a constitutive feature of human agency. Drawing together con...more