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摘要
摘要
Alphabetically arranged, this humorous compilation of bad taste and mediocrity covers topics as diverse as fashion, music, people, places, food, furniture, automobiles, and more.
评论 (3)
Kirkus评论
The Sterns are back, laden with another bundle of souvenirs from their latest good-humored foray into tacky Americana--this time, an A-Z offering of ""bad taste"" items, fads, and personalities, from accordion music to zoot suits. As in their previous work Elvis World (1987), Sixties People (p. 36), etc., there's much nostalgia (bell-bottoms, Elvisiana, mood rings, perky nuns, Keane paintings, and so on), but there's also much to savor here of the contemporary kitsch life: maraschino cherries (""Who doesn't look for the maraschino cherry half when canned fruit cocktail is served, and who doesn't feel privileged if he gets it?""); Bob Guccione (who ""perfected male dÉcolletage""); surf 'n' turf (an example of ""classic kitsch: adding two swanky things together in hopes of doubling their value, and in fact winding up with a flatulent faux pas""). With 300 b&w and 50 color photographs, and a wide and imaginative array of entries--135 in all--this is delightful pop-cultural anthropology, the Stems' most entertaining work since Elvis World. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Choice 评论
The Sterns' earlier work is valuable in the area of pop sociology, but this is a perfunctory exercise in commercialism, not a reference book. Since the entries lack any sort of documentation and there is no bibliography, all details must be taken on faith by the reader, and not all are correct: e.g., the acronym GLOW ("Professional Wrestling") stands for "Gorgeous" (not"Golden") "Ladies of Wrestling," How could the "Roller Derby" article have no mention of Joannie Weston? Is there any specific reason for ignoring honeymoon resorts (i.e. the Poconos) or pet cemeteries? And so forth. At the heart of the book's problem is the absence of any specific definition indicating exactly what the Sterns consider in bad taste; in the absence of definition or any discernable unifying theme, bad taste here becomes anything that happens to annoy one of the authors. The end impression is one of meanspirited elitism. Further compounding the problems is the lazy, unfocused writing. The article "Children's Names" never quite seems to find a point and the opening of "Fish Sticks" might or might not be an effort at satire. Both Gillo Dorfles's Kitsch: The World of Bad Taste (1969) and Curtis F. Brown's Star-Spangled Kitsch (1975) are far superior studies and would be useful purchases for libraries attempting to cover the dark side of the American pop aesthetic. -R. S. Bravard, Lock Haven University
《图书馆杂志》(Library Journal )书评
Pop culture mavens and authors of 15 books, including Elvis World ( LJ 10/1/87) and Sixties People ( LJ 1/90), the Sterns have assembled a directory of American ``ersatz culture'' that would make Roseanne Barr proud. Their goal is, ``to catalogue bad taste, define the standard masterworks, and inaugurate the annals of the world's favorite faux pas.'' With entries running the gamut from Chippendale dancers, Tammy Faye Bakker, and the jogging suit to Jello, nose jobs, and tattoos, the result is a somewhat humorous and whimsical volume that celebrates lowbrow culture more than berates it. This encyclopedia offers trivial information aplenty, most of it from secondary sources: the origins of bowling, the invention of the Lava Lite. It might make a good gift item, but as a library reference purchase it is not recommended. Perhaps for pop culture or humor collections.-- David Nudo, New York (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.