Americanization of History

"The essays collected here offer important new perspectives on the appropriation of history in contemporary media. The contributors skillfully explore recent reshapings of historical narratives in cultural artifacts imbued with American assumptions about gender, nostalgia, ethnicity, and war. The result is a fascinating, disturbing assessment of the state of historical knowledge in today's mass audiences." Christopher Morris, Author of The Hanging Figure: On Suspense and the Films of...
More Description

"The essays collected here offer important new perspectives on the appropriation of history in contemporary media. The contributors skillfully explore recent reshapings of historical narratives in cultural artifacts imbued with American assumptions about gender, nostalgia, ethnicity, and war. The result is a fascinating, disturbing assessment of the state of historical knowledge in today's mass audiences." Christopher Morris, Author of The Hanging Figure: On Suspense and the Films of Alfred Hitchcock (2002) "Most educated Americans today understand, and perhaps bemoan, that our nation grasps its own history often through its literature and popular culture. This new anthology, adroitly edited by Kathleen McDonald, helps its mainly academic audience to better understand, and thus to better communicate to its students, just how popular heroes like Mad Men's 'Don Draper' flee society in the footsteps of 'Huck Finn;' how adventurous young women like Vampire Slaying 'Buffy,' in the mode of Richardson's 'Pamela,' are rendered impotent by the realization of sexual desire; and, overall, how films that are set in earlier, more peaceful and happy times (Take Me Out to the Ball Game) actually more pointedly critique the conflicted eras in which they are made." Terry Barr, Professor of English and Director of the Media Studies Program, Presbyterian College, South Carolina, USA "This collection transcends familiar notions of 'fidelity' to ask profoundly important questions about Hollywood's frequently spurious representations of history. Even when the authors' interpretations seem debatable, their insights are invariably provocative and enlightening. Scholars, students, and casual movie buffs alike will find Americanization of History a compelling read." Joseph P. Moser, Professor of English and Film Studies, Fitchburg State University, Massachusetts, USA Kathleen Mcdonald's collection offers a rich study of the refraction of history through popular film and television. The Americanization of History gives thoughtful answers to worthwhile questions. Rhonda V. Wilcox, Norwhich University, November 2010