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American Monsters
- Narrated by: Adam Jortner
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
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Publisher's summary
Cackling witches in Puritan communities calling forth Satan. Sea serpents squirming along coasts to snack on bathers. Ape creatures slinking through forests and leaving behind mysterious footprints.
In America, tall tales of monsters walking among us have existed for hundreds of years. Real or fictional, human or inhuman, monsters and other terrors directly reflect the events within American culture. As a society changes, its anxiety changes - and its monsters change as well. Thus, any confrontation with America’s monsters is, in truth, a confrontation with the history of fear in America.
Grab a flashlight and go monster-hunting in the safe company of Adam Jortner, award-winning professor of religion at Auburn University, with the 10 eerie and illuminating episodes of American Monsters. You’ll encounter chilling tales of living houses, sentient plants, psychotic toys, brain-eating zombies, and otherworldly beings whose mere name is enough to drive people insane. Along the way, you’ll learn how monster stories change how Americans think and what Americans do, how they shape the history of our country, and what secrets about human nature these inhuman monsters can share.
American monsters are mythical, but in many ways monster stories are frighteningly real. The most terrifying thing about them: what they reveal about the monsters within us.
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How nuanced this event actually was
- By Cody T. on 12-17-23
By: Adam Jortner, and others
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Medical Mysteries Across History
- By: Roy Benaroch MD, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Roy Benaroch MD
- Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins
- Original Recording
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In these 10 eye-opening lectures by a practicing doctor and medical educator, you’ll walk through a series of medical mystery cases ripped from history and involving well-known historical figures whose identities are nevertheless hidden from you. Every one of these cases requires you to use your detective skills to identify and diagnose the mystery patient just like the doctors that attended them. In the process, you’ll learn fascinating insights into medicine: both the medicine that was practiced thousands of years ago and the medicine doctors practice today.
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delightful
- By Amazon Customer on 03-14-20
By: Roy Benaroch MD, and others
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Edgar Allan Poe: Master of Horror
- By: Mark Canada, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Canada
- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
- Original Recording
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Story
Through these 10 lectures, you will delve into the darkness of Poe’s most nightmarish stories, including “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Pit and the Pendulum”, and “The Fall of the House of Usher”. You’ll also learn how he invented the detective story and explored themes of love and loss in such poems as “Ulalume” and “Annabel Lee”. And you’ll discover how Poe employed symbolism, imagery, rhythm and rhyme, irony and paradox, repetition, simile, and foreshadowing to create a unique body of work.
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Interesting but not what I was expecting
- By Red-Haired Ash on 03-24-21
By: Mark Canada, and others
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Witchcraft in the Western Tradition
- By: Jennifer McNabb, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer McNabb
- Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
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Beginning with the witch hunts of the early 15th century, Professor Jennifer McNabb takes you on an eye-opening exploration of witchcraft and superstition in Witchcraft in the Western Tradition. In these 10 lectures, you will better understand where many of our most indelible images of witchcraft come from and how the religious pursuit of witches across Europe and into the Americas in the early modern period spread fear and violence like a contagion, for generations.
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Interesting, but not great
- By KlaatuBaradaNikto on 01-10-21
By: Jennifer McNabb, and others
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A Day's Read
- By: The Great Courses, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth, and others
- Narrated by: Arnold Weinstein, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Join three literary scholars and award-winning professors as they introduce you to dozens of short masterpieces that you can finish - and engage with - in a day or less. Perfect for people with busy lives who still want to discover-or rediscover-just how transformative an act of reading can be, these 36 lectures range from short stories of fewer than 10 pages to novellas and novels of around 200 pages. Despite their short length, these works are powerful examinations of the same subjects and themes that longer "great books" discuss.
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Stories not included, only discussed
- By Julie Jester on 01-15-16
By: The Great Courses, and others
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Powerful Women of the Medieval World
- By: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
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Performance
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Story
Throughout history, women have played integral roles in family, society, religion, government, war - in short, in all aspects of human civilization. Their contributions have often shaped history and shifted the axis of power for later generations of women. And yet, unearthing their stories from the historical record has often been a challenge. In Powerful Women of the Medieval World, Professor Dorsey Armstrong will introduce you to 10 amazing women who played vital roles in the Middle Ages.
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Very good! I wish I would have began listening to the Great Courses sooner.
- By Malia on 03-20-21
By: Dorsey Armstrong, and others
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The Hidden History of the Boston Tea Party
- By: Adam Jortner, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Adam Jortner
- Length: 2 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
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The history of the Boston Tea Party is a hidden one. Why? Since it was a clandestine operation, all sorts of rumors and legends grew up around the event—many collected decades after the American Revolution had ended. At its core, however, the night of December 16, 1773, when colonials dumped tea from British ships into Boston Harbor, was more than a fight over tea and taxes. It was a struggle over the very nature of democracy and self-governance.
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How nuanced this event actually was
- By Cody T. on 12-17-23
By: Adam Jortner, and others
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Medical Mysteries Across History
- By: Roy Benaroch MD, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Roy Benaroch MD
- Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In these 10 eye-opening lectures by a practicing doctor and medical educator, you’ll walk through a series of medical mystery cases ripped from history and involving well-known historical figures whose identities are nevertheless hidden from you. Every one of these cases requires you to use your detective skills to identify and diagnose the mystery patient just like the doctors that attended them. In the process, you’ll learn fascinating insights into medicine: both the medicine that was practiced thousands of years ago and the medicine doctors practice today.
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delightful
- By Amazon Customer on 03-14-20
By: Roy Benaroch MD, and others
-
Edgar Allan Poe: Master of Horror
- By: Mark Canada, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Canada
- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Through these 10 lectures, you will delve into the darkness of Poe’s most nightmarish stories, including “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Pit and the Pendulum”, and “The Fall of the House of Usher”. You’ll also learn how he invented the detective story and explored themes of love and loss in such poems as “Ulalume” and “Annabel Lee”. And you’ll discover how Poe employed symbolism, imagery, rhythm and rhyme, irony and paradox, repetition, simile, and foreshadowing to create a unique body of work.
-
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Interesting but not what I was expecting
- By Red-Haired Ash on 03-24-21
By: Mark Canada, and others
-
Witchcraft in the Western Tradition
- By: Jennifer McNabb, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer McNabb
- Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beginning with the witch hunts of the early 15th century, Professor Jennifer McNabb takes you on an eye-opening exploration of witchcraft and superstition in Witchcraft in the Western Tradition. In these 10 lectures, you will better understand where many of our most indelible images of witchcraft come from and how the religious pursuit of witches across Europe and into the Americas in the early modern period spread fear and violence like a contagion, for generations.
-
-
Interesting, but not great
- By KlaatuBaradaNikto on 01-10-21
By: Jennifer McNabb, and others
-
A Day's Read
- By: The Great Courses, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth, and others
- Narrated by: Arnold Weinstein, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Join three literary scholars and award-winning professors as they introduce you to dozens of short masterpieces that you can finish - and engage with - in a day or less. Perfect for people with busy lives who still want to discover-or rediscover-just how transformative an act of reading can be, these 36 lectures range from short stories of fewer than 10 pages to novellas and novels of around 200 pages. Despite their short length, these works are powerful examinations of the same subjects and themes that longer "great books" discuss.
-
-
Stories not included, only discussed
- By Julie Jester on 01-15-16
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
Powerful Women of the Medieval World
- By: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Throughout history, women have played integral roles in family, society, religion, government, war - in short, in all aspects of human civilization. Their contributions have often shaped history and shifted the axis of power for later generations of women. And yet, unearthing their stories from the historical record has often been a challenge. In Powerful Women of the Medieval World, Professor Dorsey Armstrong will introduce you to 10 amazing women who played vital roles in the Middle Ages.
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Very good! I wish I would have began listening to the Great Courses sooner.
- By Malia on 03-20-21
By: Dorsey Armstrong, and others
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Medieval Myths & Mysteries
- By: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Original Recording
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The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.
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Interesting, but centered on Britain
- By Ximena on 04-10-20
By: Dorsey Armstrong, and others
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Sleep and Folklore in Popular Culture
- By: Dr. Franziska Kohlt, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dr. Franziska Kohlt
- Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
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In this eye-opening six-part series, Dr. Franziska Kohlt looks at the concept of dreams through the lens of the stories that feature them. You’ll visit the enchanted slumbering land of Sleeping Beauty and the dark and mysterious realm of The Sandman. You’ll explore the ironic dreaming devices of Slaughterhouse-Five; the trippy, fantastical world of Alice in Wonderland; and many more on the quest to deconstruct the symbolism and intent of the dreams that are part of the narrative—or even, in some cases, that are characters in the narrative.
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Lots of information, but...
- By Mariam on 10-12-22
By: Dr. Franziska Kohlt, and others
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Medical Mysteries Across History, Pt.2
- By: Roy Benaroch MD, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Roy Benaroch MD
- Length: 4 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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Doctors are more than doctors. They’re detectives who solve mysteries about the human body. Diagnosing patients is about looking for clues, whether a persistent tickle in the back of the throat or confusion and memory loss. Just like detectives, good doctors sift through information until they arrive at the medical solution that fits best. Think you have what it takes to keep up with medical detective work? Find out with this second installment of Dr. Roy Benaroch’s thrilling look at medical mysteries from across history.
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Well done.
- By Amazon Customer on 01-04-21
By: Roy Benaroch MD, and others
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Faith and the Founding Fathers
- By: Adam Jortner, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Adam Jortner
- Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
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What did the Founding Fathers think about religion? And why did a group of practicing Protestants create a republic with widespread religious liberty? The 12 lectures included in this fascinating course provide multi-layered insights into the vision, philosophies, politics, and deep-seated faith of these brilliant leaders - in their own time, in their own words.
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About As Accurate As Any Woke History Prof Can Get
- By Rustin L. Haase on 09-23-21
By: Adam Jortner, and others
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10 Great What-Ifs of American History
- By: Adam Jortner, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Adam Jortner
- Length: 3 hrs and 54 mins
- Original Recording
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Accompanied by a selection of guests, Professor Jortner takes you through a mind-bending exploration of the history that could have been. Captivating storytellers and imaginative thinkers, these experts show how history is contingent on split-second decisions, near misses, and sheer dumb luck. By reflecting on what didn’t happen, 10 Great What-Ifs of American History gives you new insights on what did happen—and the impact on our world today.
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Overacting and Multiple Narrators Distracting
- By homedaddy on 05-09-24
By: Adam Jortner, and others
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The Hidden History of Holidays
- By: Hannah Harvey, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Hannah Harvey
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Original Recording
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From Halloween costumes to patriotic parades to belly-busting meals, every holiday tradition tells a unique story—one encoded in symbols and layered meanings that stretch back over the centuries. In 19 lectures, professional storyteller Dr. Hannah B. Harvey takes listeners through the seasons and investigates the surprising stories behind seemingly odd holiday traditions.
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An enjoyable listen, but a few inaccuracies
- By Kristopher willis on 12-17-19
By: Hannah Harvey, and others
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Great American Short Stories: A Guide for Writers and Readers
- By: Jennifer Cognard-Black, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer Cognard-Black
- Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins
- Original Recording
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Whether you want to write short stories, simply want better insight as a reader, or even if you are looking for a new lens through which to view American history, the 24 rich and informative lectures of Great American Short Stories: A Guide for Writers and Readers will show you the ins and outs of this infinitely adaptable - and intrinsically American - literary form. Professor Jennifer Cognard-Black of St. Mary’s College of Maryland guides you through the technical aspects of the short story, while also digging deep into the history of the form in the United States.
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-sigh-
- By Michael C. on 06-03-21
By: Jennifer Cognard-Black, and others
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The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
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Excellent Series
- By Rodney on 07-09-13
By: Gary W. Gallagher, and others
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The Iliad of Homer
- By: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
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Story
For thousands of years, Homer's ancient epic poem the
Iliad has enchanted readers from around the world. When you join Professor Vandiver for this lecture series on the Iliad, you'll come to understand what has enthralled and gripped so many people. Her compelling 12-lecture look at this literary masterpiece -whether it's the work of many authors or the "vision" of a single blind poet - makes it vividly clear why, after almost 3,000 years, the
Iliad remains not only among the greatest adventure stories ever told but also one of the most compelling meditations on the human condition ever written.
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Vandiver never disappoints
- By Machteacher on 07-23-13
By: Elizabeth Vandiver, and others
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The Brontës: Romantic Passion and Social Justice
- By: Deborah Morse, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Deborah Morse
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
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Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë created some of the greatest works of 19th-century English literature. How did these three young women, born into a humble parsonage on the isolated moors of Northern England, write such striking work? What influenced them? How did they get their stories out into the world? Why do their novels continue to grip readers to this day? These and other questions are what you will explore in The Brontës: Romantic Passion and Social Justice.
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Outstanding…
- By Jo C. on 08-29-21
By: Deborah Morse, and others
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The World of J.R.R. Tolkien
- By: Dimitra Fimi, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dimitra Fimi
- Length: 4 hrs and 42 mins
- Original Recording
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In The World of J.R.R. Tolkien, you will join Dr. Dimitra Fimi to delve into Tolkien’s complex and multilayered mythology, examining all these ingredients and more. In these 10 lectures, you will explore and appreciate Middle-earth as medieval, mythological, and modern, a literary creation that was shaped by forces old and new. And you may be surprised to discover just how much of Tolkien’s legendarium was constructed posthumously, with his son Christopher compiling and publishing many of Tolkien’s later works after his death.
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Calls Tolkien a racist and sexist
- By Kevin on 09-29-22
By: Dimitra Fimi, and others
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The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis
- By: Louis Markos, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Louis Markos
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
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What can we still learn from C.S. Lewis? Find out in these 12 insightful lectures that cover the author's spiritual autobiography, novels, and his scholarly writings that reflect on pain and grief, love and friendship, prophecy and miracles, and education and mythology.
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Basically a collection of sermons
- By Richard on 11-20-13
By: Louis Markos, and others
What listeners say about American Monsters
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Uncle Mikey
- 10-03-21
Less Is More Sometimes
Overall it was good, and I enjoyed the narrator's voice, but it focused too much on race at times.
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7 people found this helpful
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- jc
- 11-06-21
A good read
Interesting material and great narration. Highly recommend this book for anyone interested in a deep dive into all things monstrous.
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- Emily
- 07-08-21
Excellent analysis!
Really insightful and enjoyable; sometimes these kinds of things make me roll my eyes, they can feel like they’re trying too hard or reaching for something that isn’t there, but this was GREAT. Reasonable, well-thought-out, spot-on. I loved it.
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- Jacob Tinney
- 08-08-21
A great look at the shifting gears of the United States
This was a terrific series of lectures on what has captured and perturbed the American psyche; and how we have created monsters as a “safety value” to deal with uncomfortable topics. I found the pacing, narration, and information to be spot on. I highly recommend everyone listen to it.
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Overall
- Sarah
- 10-26-21
Perfect for Horror Fans and Analytical Minds
Absolutely loved this. A great commentary on American monsters from the very founding of the first colonies up to present day movies. What do they mean and what can our fears reveal about our society.
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- K. GEORGIAN
- 11-07-21
Nice easy evaluation of the concept of monsters
I find the negative reviews surprising. This course in monsters is a pretty typical dime a dozen analysis of its topic. But to see so many snowflake audible reviews get triggered over the idea that King Kong has racist undertones or that early filmmaking presented only negative views of black people - ideas that are so universally accepted as true that I can’t believe someone hearing it today gets so triggered into a phony hurt ego panic. No one gets triggered when the thing and invasion of the body snatchers are explained as Cold War metaphors - which again are common and dime a dozen observations. Perhaps debunking monster conspiracy theories is not what fragile Americans want to hear or accept.
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- M. Domroes
- 12-18-21
Every chapter gave me something new to think about
I absolutely loved this book! every chapter gave me something new to think about and also I felt I learned something about history and each of the chapters at no point was I ever bored. If you love scary stories, monsters, or even learning about history this one's for you.
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- michael runner
- 11-01-21
Fascinating though not exactly as expected
Enjoyable and interesting, I don't regret the purchase. In particular, I learned quite a bit about spiritism in both origin and the movement around it. I didn't expect quite as much historical speculation. In knowing a few of the books and movies discussed, I'm not sure that some of the double meanings apply. As a historian he may be putting too much depth in some places in which people were just trying to tell spooky stories. I would have liked to have seen a sub title of "Through the eyes of a historian" or something like that.
I felt as though there was a bit too much focus on race but some of that may be because I was looking for more of an escapist book at the moment. In other words, race and politics seem to come into almost everything (or it seems like it) these days and sometimes I look for things to get away from the news or issues of the day. Still, I give Prof Jortner credit because he is a very entertaining reader. He kept things from getting too heavy due to his humor and tonality. Overall I recommend it. It's very interesting and I learned quite a bit.
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- B. Covington
- 08-07-22
Good, however...
This was not what I was expecting. However, it was entertaining and informative, and I still enjoyed it.
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- Gilbert M. Stack
- 08-20-21
Great Overview of the History of Horror in the U.S
If you enjoy a good horror story, this book will teach you a lot about where those images come from in America, and how they have been cultivated over the history of the nation. It’s a very quick but fascinating read. In addition to looking at the historical roots of things like spirits and witches, Jortner also spends a great deal of time looking at how movies, televisions, and novels have shaped the images. The popularity of monsters, and the way that those monster stories are told, has a lot to do with the stresses, fears, and problems of American society. Therefore, it should not be surprising that racism and civil rights are often underlying themes of the monster tale. Another fascinating theme is whether or not we can really govern ourselves when the people in charge in the stories often show themselves to be idiots. American isolationism, the Cold War, the proper role of science in our society… all of these themes pop up again and again as do stories about what happens when teens or women start to get a little independence in our dangerous world. Each section fascinated me and my only complaint is that the book wasn’t longer.
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7 people found this helpful