Social Science - Popular Culture

A comprehensive look at how comedy evolved across mediums throughout the twentieth century. Comedians have always helped us find relief through laughter as the uncertainty of world events threatens to disrupt our collective state of well-being. Through the good times and bad times, from...

From pro wrestling and Pokémon to Insane Clown Posse and Jerry Springer, this look at the low culture of the late '90s reveals its profound impact and how it continues to affect our culture and society today."If you had a subscription to Spin or...

A blazingly honest essay collection from a refreshing new voice exploring the in-between moments for Black women and girls, and what it means to simply exist "At thirty-seven years old I can say Shenequa is a big name and I'm a big, bold woman."...

An engaging and informative cultural history of glasses that explores their origins, stigmas, future in technology, and more. Eyeglasses have become so commonplace we hardly think about them-unless we can't find them. Yet glasses have been controversial throughout history. Roger Bacon pioneered using lenses...

Created specifically for fans of Japanese "cool culture," A Geek in Japan is one of the most iconic, hip, and concise cultural guides available. This new edition has been thoroughly revised and expanded with new chapters on Japanese video games, architecture, and a special...

Learn (and love) the language of the landlocked in this bitingly funny illustrated guide to the common phrases and sentiments of the American Heartland, from the author of the McSweeney's series "A Guide to Midwestern Conversation." If you end an evening by slapping your...

**Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) Winner** For fans of Japanese manga and anime, a trip to Tokyo is an absolute must! In this captivating Tokyo travel guide, manga artist and author Evangeline Neo travels to the Japanese capital with her mascots Kopi the dog...

A new collection of greatest hits from one of the greatest comedians of our time, George Carlin, now the subject of the HBO documentary George Carlin's American Dream, directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio George Carlin was: "a true, true artist" (Chris Rock)..."the...

A Sherlock Holmes Escape Book: Adventure of the Train of the Dead is a unique form of puzzle book, in which the reader must solve the riddles to escape the pages.The sixth title in this ingenious series of Sherlock Holmes Escape Books, The Adventure...

In Acid Dreams, Martin Lee and Bruce Shalin have written the history of a time still only dimly understood. The events they recount and the facts they uncover supply an important missing piece of the puzzle of a crucial decade in our recent past.Few...

Across the Board is a rollicking journey through the history and culture of tabletop games and the unparalleled way that they bring people together "Rich with enticing origin stories, and a shining treatise on why games are so universal, so important, and so foundational...

"Citizen Kane does Adventureland." --The Washington PostThe outlandish, hilarious, terrifying, and almost impossible-to-believe story of the legendary, dangerous amusement park where millions were entertained and almost as many bruises were sustained, told through the eyes of the founder's son. Often called "Accident Park," "Class...

A reissue of Susan Sontag's classic first collection, featuring some of her most beloved writing--on art, life, camp, and criticism--that cemented her legacy as one of the brightest thinkers of, and beyond, her generation. Susan Sontag is widely regarded as one of the most...

A new collection of poetry from Booker Prize finalist Patricia Lockwood, FINALLY! "A modern word witch." --The New York Times Book ReviewMany have called Patricia Lockwood a wordsmith, but in the latest iteration of her life, she has become, quite literally, a metalsmith too....

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From linguist Adam Aleksic, known as @etymologynerd on social media, comes a captivating exploration of how internet algorithms are transforming language and communication in unprecedented ways. "Packed with fascinating facts, of-the-moment observations, and a sparkling voice, Algospeak is a...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From linguist Adam Aleksic, known as @etymologynerd on social media, comes a captivating exploration of how internet algorithms are transforming language and communication in unprecedented ways. "Packed with fascinating facts, of-the-moment observations, and a sparkling voice, Algospeak is a...

The United States Colonial Marines. Ultimate troubleshooters equipped with state-of-the-art firepower, capable of power projection across the vast expanse of deep space. They can sharpshoot a man at a thousand meters or obliterate an entire world from the safety of orbit. They reckon they...

A New York Times bestseller and enduring classic, All About Love is the acclaimed first volume in feminist icon bell hooks' "Love Song to the Nation" trilogy. All About Love reveals what causes a polarized society, and how to heal the divisions that cause...

"Finally, the research-driven guide for navigating the digital world we've been waiting for! ...Nuanced, compassionate, and clearly written" (Ethan Kross), this is a revelatory exploration of how our online lives can enrich human connections rather than destroy them, to help us all stay sane...

"Finally, the research-driven guide for navigating the digital world we've been waiting for! ...Nuanced, compassionate, and clearly written" (Ethan Kross), this is a revelatory exploration of how our online lives can enrich human connections rather than destroy them, to help us all stay sane...