Skinheads Shaved For Battle: A Cultural History of American Skinheads (Paperback)

~ Jack Moore (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book describes who American skinheads are, how they have developed within larger youth group scenes, the world of their ideas and activities, how they are or are not organized, the role of music in their formation and development, how they have been perceived by the media in America, and what damage they have done in American society. The author focuses mainly, although not exclusively, on the cultural history of the skinheads in America during the 1980s, which is roughly the first decade of their development, and suggests that while they were originally a minor distraction on the punk scene, they have grown into a dangerous and far more politically engaged source of hate thought and crime.

After establishing in a general way the violent history of skinheads in America and suggesting why they have come to exist as a frightening threat to civil peace, the author reviews the English origins of the skinhead subculture, for although skinheads have disturbed society in most of the developed nations of Europe for some time, English skinheads set the style early for skinheads in America. The evolution of the skinhead culture in England is a fascinating one, and it illuminates the formation of hate groups both at home and abroad. The author examined both academic and non-academic literature produced in England that studied skinheads to reveal how their media presentation became an important part of their perceived image. What Americans wrote and thought about skinheads in part derived from their depiction in England.

About the Author

Jack B. Moore teaches American Literature, American Studies, and Humanities at the University of South Florida, specializing in American and African cultural studies, and racism. He is also a member of the Institute on Black Life.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Popular Press 3; 1 edition (June 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879725834
• ISBN-13: 978-0879725839
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #984,628 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Quite possibly the worst piece of skinhead Literature, December 6, 2000

By	"prufrock109" (Iowa City, IA USA) - See all my reviews

In writing past reviews of books I've read for subculture studies in college, I have tried to give each book a fair shot because I understand that we all have our separate opinions. Well, this book deserves nothing of the sort. If I am to understand the system correctly now, I can publish a book without actually knowing anything about the subculture or the critics and receive royalties. I'm glad I'm wasting away in college when I could be out there writing ignorant accounts of groups I obviously know little about and getting paid for it! If you are really interested in Skinheads as a cultural phenomena, then don't buy this book. There are plenty others that will reveal to you the true nature of the skinhead subculture without the racially implicit biases against a group that isn't totally racist. Yes, there are gay and black skinheads Mr. Moore, but somehow you have overlooked this. I hope this helps deter you from purchasing this waste of wood.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars generalizing a scene, May 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Skinheads Shaved For Battle: A Cultural History of American Skinheads (Hardcover)

Mr. Moore obviously did his research on neo-nazi hate groups and white supremacy in America. However, he failed to recognize that the term "skinhead" is not synonymous with "nazi white-supremacist". The skinhead scene today in America (and during its beginnings in the UK) is not all about white power and racism. It is a gross generalization to assume that all skinheads are nazis. The skinhead movement originally centered around working-class pride - not white pride. When the neo-nazis came along, they tried to recruit followers from the scene, because they knew these kids were angry and proud kids who could fight, and this was the image they were looking for. Not all skinheads followed this movement of hate. Some ignored it and stayed true to their roots, while others lashed out against it (later forming groups such as SHARPs, Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice). Because the nazi-skins were the ones committing all the hate crimes, they were the ones who got all the press. Pretty soon, the media began using the term "skinhead" to mean nazi WP. While Mr. Moore wrote a well-composed and comprehensive book of racism and hate groups, he perhaps should have been more careful in his account. Todays skinheads come from all different ethnicities, including black, Asian, and Hispanic. To me, this book only further advocates a myth. It is not a correct account of the "american skin". Perhaps Mr. Moore should have preceded the word "skin" with the word "racist". It is important to differentiate, as there is an entire scene of kids who are misrepresented by such a false title.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Utter [junk]- Barely good enough to line a birdcage, May 25, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Skinheads Shaved For Battle: A Cultural History of American Skinheads (Hardcover)

I don't even want to give this book one star. It's not worth the paper it's printed on. First off, I'm not a skinhead, but I have done considerable sociological research in youth subcultures including the skinhead scene. Look, if you're going to write a book that claims to be "a cultural history", at least do a little bit of research first. The author interviewed a grand total of two neo-nazi skinheads and listened to a couple of records, and drew all of his conclusions from there. Basically, according to the author, everyone is a neo-nazi, and the skinheads who say they aren't, really are. So are punk rockers. So are rockabillys. So are skaters. If a kid isn't into gangsta rap, he is a nazi. That's this clown's basic point that he's making. I mean, for pete's sake, he says "The Ramones" are a nazi skinhead band. Sorry, Joey Ramone had a little too much hair to be a skinhead. And Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys is "an outspoken nazi"? Whatever. Jack Moore even admits he may be wrong in his book, but right at the begining he tells the reader that even if he is wrong, it's his book and he's going to write what he darn well pleases. Way to be objective. To sum it up, it's [junk]. Not even worth reading in the bathroom. Like I said, I'm not a skinhead but I have interacted with some of them before, and I will state for the record that there are plenty of non-political and even openly anti-nazi skinheads out there, and they come in all colors- white, black, asian, hispanic, Filipino, Jewish, etc. If you want a better book on the subject, try The Spirit of '69 by George Marshall.