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[An] entertaining rejoinder, [a] look at the hidden structures and unacknowledged tendencies of our day. ―Kirkus Reviews
Despite a proclaimed respect for scientific reason, humans are still as intrigued by myth as their remote ancestors. Laptops and smartphones are sold under a logo that invokes the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden; skimpily clad classical nymphs cavort in TV reality shows; Narcissus makes a comeback whenever we snap a selfie. Mythical creatures such as handsome vampires abound in best-selling novels. Myth has also invaded the political realm, now that terrorists brandish black flags and recite theological mantras as they martyr themselves.
In twenty-seven self-contained entries, Peter Conrad illuminates in his own remarkable way subjects from the British Queen to the Kardashians, via Banksy, vaping, Trump’s penthouse, and the inception of the Large Hadron Collider. In Judge Judy, he shows a matronly Roman goddess dispensing justice with a fly swatter. In the metamorphosis of Caitlyn Jenner from Olympic athlete and paterfamilias into idealized female form, he finds parallels to the transformations of the residents of Mount Olympus.
Myths used to tell us where we came from. Now, alarmed but also elated by the pace of change in our society, we need them to tell us where we are going.
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About the Author:
Peter Conrad is the author of over twenty books, including Creation, How the World Was Won, and Verdi and/or Wagner.
Review:
A deft updating of Parisian semiotics and midcentury cultural criticism for our own time. If you're a fan of Barthes and of the Umberto Eco of How to Travel with a Salmon, you'll likely enjoy this entertaining rejoinder, [a] look at the hidden structures and unacknowledged tendencies of our day. — Kirkus Reviews
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- PublisherThames & Hudson
- Publication date2017
- ISBN 10 0500293546
- ISBN 13 9780500293546
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages256
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Mythomania (Paperback)
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Despite our culture's proclaimed respect for scientific reason, we live in a society that is no less bedazzled-and bedevilled-by myth than those of our remote ancestors. Roland Barthes first examined the mythical resonances of consumer products in the 1950s. Far from being demystified, consumerism has since morphed into a universal religion, its compulsory ritual of shopping essential to our economic survival. Myth has also invaded the political realm, as terrorists brandish black flags and recite theological mantras as they martyr themselves. Peter Conrad's exhilarating book exposes the absurdity and occasional insanity of our godforsaken, demon-haunted contemporary culture. Conrad casts his brilliant beam upon subjects from The Queen to the Kardashians, via Banksy, Nando's, vaping, the vogue of the cronut, the mushroom-like rise of Dubai, the launch of the Large Hadron Collider, the growth of the Pacific garbage patch. In Judge Judy, he shows us a matronly Roman goddess dispensing justice with a fly swatter. In the metamorphosis of Caitlyn Jenner from Olympic athlete and paterfamilias into idealized female form, he sees parallels to the deeds of the residents of Mount Olympus themselves. Finally, after surveying advances in biomedical engineering and artificial intelligence, he asks whether we might be on the brink of a post-human world. This edition also includes an entry on Donald Trump's inauguration as President of the USA. Building upon his much-praised BBC Radio 4 series 21st Century Mythologies, Peter Conrad examines the enduring place of myth in contemporary culture and society. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780500293546
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Mythomania
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Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. [An] entertaining rejoinder, [a] look at the hidden structures and unacknowledged tendencies of our day. --Kirkus Reviews. Seller Inventory # B9780500293546
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Book Description Condition: New. Num Pages: 256 pages. BIC Classification: HB. Dimension: 198 x 130. . . 2017. 1st Edition. Paperback. . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780500293546
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