Customer Reviews

Tiki Mugs: Cult Artifacts of Polynesian Pop

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jay Strongman has done a great job of showing the history and evolution of Tikis and the artists who today make every type of tiki art imaginable.
The text and the photos are terrific. This book is a must along with The Book of Tiki, Tiki Modern, Tiki Quest, Tiki Road Trip, Pocket Tiki and Tiki Magazine. All of these books will enhance your tiki collecting enjoyment.

Who'd have thought there was such an interesting book to be written about kitsch pottery? Jay Strongman brings his pasison for pop culture to enliven what could otherwise have been a 'collectors only' guide to this topic. So, alongside the thorough (and brilliantly researched) history of Tiki mugs, we get the broader story of the blossoming of the Tiki scene in the US, from its 1950s origins to its recent revival. Strongman makes some fascinating and surprising connections - not least on why Tiki emerged when it did. There's also some great material on the musical component of the Tiki scene - Strongman's knowledge of the 'exotica' scene is evident here.
All in all, an essential book for anyone interested in US pop culture, not just wacky ceramics!

Whether you are a poly-pop devotee or simply a collector of the super-cool tiki mug, this book is an absolute must-have for you. Great words, great artwork and photography, great lay-out and presentation, great information and reference. Clearly produced by people with a genuine love and knowledge of their work. Well done Jay Strongman and Holden Westland. Buy it now while you can. Now...bring on volume two, boys. O.K?

Tiki mugs are a 1950s classic, a product of the pseudo-South Seas subculture which was part of the American scene. This book looks at some great examples of the mugs which would be available at Tiki bars which sprung up in cities and towns across the U.S. While not a catalog of Tiki mugs, this book contains photos of some of the best examples of mugs, which were loosely-based on idols from polynesia and developed into the sublime and the silly. The book discusses Tiki culture and some of the artists who are now designing mugs to satisfy a small but devoted audience.

With page upon page of different mugs, this is pure art in the form of a book. Side notes provide insight into the particulars, but it's the photography and breadth of the collection that makes this book worth owning.

I bought this book for my husbands' birthday. We are really into surf culture and I thought this would be a perfect addition to the collection. This is a perfect coffee table book; it has lots of great, varied pictures, and it gives you a bit of written information on different types and times of tiki! My husband loves it, and so do I.

A must have for the person that loves tiki mugs. Facts for types of mugs, makers of mugs. It has interviews with the designers, the companys that make them. I love all the photos of mugs, tiki bars, menus, all things tiki. The only bad thing about this book is wanting to find all the mugs you have never seen before. It really has a lot of info on mugs and tiki collecting.

The main focus of this book is the artwork of the current wave of tiki mug artists that have
sprouted in response to the resurgence of tiki culture. It is a must have read and full of
pictures to gawk at while jotting down your collector want list.

This is an excellent book on the history of and current happenings of the tiki mug. If you are a collector or enthusiast, this book is definitely for you. I was a little disappointed in the number of spelling errors throughout, but, that is my only complaint! Some amazing photos and great information.

This book is filled with amazing photos and is a "MUST HAVE" for any Tiki Mug collector.