The $10 billion video gaming industry is now the second-largest segment of the entertainment industry in the United States, outstripping film and far surpassing books. Reality television shows featuring silicone-stuffed CEO wannabes and bug-eating adrenaline junkies dominate the ratings. But prominent social and cultural critic Steven Johnson argues that our popular culture has never been smarter. Drawing from fields as diverse as neuroscience, economics,...

Offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Real Housewives franchise from the writer of Vulture's popular series recaps and provides an insider's perspective on the lavish lives of the reality television stars.

"Fads and trends: how do they start? Why do they spread? And how deep can their impact be? Although trends might seem trivial, if you dig deeper, you'll find that chasing the next big thing can have even bigger results. Established middle-grade author Kira Vermond and cartoonist Clayton Hanmer team up in this fun and accessible nonfiction look at fads. In four short chapters, the book explores what a fad is, how the latest crazes catch on, and what...

"Pretentiousness is for anyone who has braved being different, whether that's making a stand against artistic consensus or running the gauntlet of the last bus home dressed differently from everyone else. It's an essential ingredient in pop music and highart. Why do we choose accusations of elitism over open-mindedness? What do our anxieties about "pretending" say about us? Co-editor of Frieze, Europe's foremost magazine of contemporary art and culture,...

A lavish, gorgeously designed full-color collection that showcases the designs of Dorothy and Otis Shepard, two groundbreaking giants of early twentieth-century American advertising. Dorothy and Otis Shepard are the unsung heroes of early twentieth-century North American visual culture. Together, they were the first American graphic designers to work in multiple mediums and scales with equal skill and vision, and their work remains brilliant; yet...

This slim volume contains reproductions of a series of lithographs of the Smoky Valley, especially the Smoky Hill River, in the Lindsborg, Kansas, area done by the Swedish immigrant, Birger Sandzen.

Architecture in the gulf portrays an important link in the examination of the former times and traditions of the region. Behind Existing Places attempts to transport viewers to the past while assisting them in observing locations outside of their normal field of vision. Each image will have a distinct story that will alter the viewer's perception of the scene.

This enchanting gallery transports viewers to a fairy tale world-an ageless fantasy realm inhabited by characters from favorite folktales and depicted by renowned artists. Lovingly reproduced from rare early editions, more than 180 illustrations portray scenes from stories by the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and other sources, including ancient Celtic and Norse legends. Breathtaking art, dating from 1882 to 1923, captures the genius of...

The renewed prominence of the poster as both a marketing tool and a display of artistry has led to an explosive renaissance. Curated by John Foster, author of New Masters of Poster Design, this captivating collection of 1,000 indie posters captures the cutting edge of poster design work at one of its most important moments in history. Readers will find an inspiring and eclectic collection, spanning from music to the political and everything in-between!...

"New York Times-bestselling author and cultural critic Chuck Klosterman compiles and contextualizes the best of his articles and essays from the past decade. Chuck Klosterman has created an incomparable body of work in books, magazines, newspapers, and on the Web. His writing spans the realms of culture and sports, while also addressing interpersonal issues, social quandaries, and ethical boundaries. Klosterman has written nine previous books, helped...