Class: A Guide Through the American Status System by Paul Fussell  (120)
$11.16
|
Bad Or, the Dumbing of America by Paul Fussell  (23)
|
Doing Battle: The Making of a Skeptic by Paul Fussell (15)
$16.19
|
Snobbery: The American Version by Joseph Epstein  (40)
$11.20
|
Wartime: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War by Paul Fussell (29)
$12.89
|
This item is not eligible for Amazon Prime, but millions of other items are. Join Amazon Prime today. Already a member? Sign in.
|
|||||||||
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Right from the start of this examination of the personal and cultural meanings of the wearing of uniforms, celebrated author Fussell (Class; The Great War and Modern Memory) creates a light, humorous tone by disclosing his almost fetishistic interest in his subject: "All my life, I have had a thing about uniforms." Peppering his historical data with campy asides, the author goes on to fondly-and obsessively-analyze the roles that uniforms play in all walks of life: the military, the church, hospitals, restaurants, sports and even everyday civilian life. In each of these contexts, Fussell explores the symbolism of every aspect of uniforms-fabrics, buttons, badges, bows. Readers will learn, for instance, that Italian troops in WWII were considered "dandies and losers" by the Allies, mostly because they wore headgear accessorized with such vain flourishes as feathers and horsehair tails. Although his view of people's sartorial proclivities can be a bit jaundiced-Nazi Hermann Goering's love of furs makes him a "heterosexual Liberace," Ernest Hemingway is a "semi-weirdo" because of his lifelong soldier fantasies-Fussell's funny, touching insights spring from an unmistakable compassion for people's need to feel "the comfort and vanity of belonging." Whether its wearer is striving for power, virtue, courage or cleanliness, the purpose of a uniform, the author concludes, is to intimately and symbolically connect him or her to a specific community with a common purpose-thus repeating the experience of home. 8 pages of photos.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
In his cursory study of uniforms, Fussell attempts to uncover the meaning of these special, emotionally laden garments. A prolific writer, Fussell won a National Book Award for The Great War and Modern Memory, which was included on Modern Library's list of "Best 100 Nonfiction Books of the 20th Century." His latest work, however, falls short. Presenting mostly examples from the previous century, Fussell sets out to show how uniforms shape and define a person. In a chatty, informal tone, he discusses a wide range of uniforms. From Nazi military attire to "sexy" UPS garb, Fussell points out the lore and lure of these habiliments. The chapters "Blue Jeans" and "Deliverers" are more amusing and thoughtful than the rest of the work. Most chapters offer only a superficial treatment of the topic, but Fussell is a popular writer who may generate some demand. Because the book lacks both a bibliography and an index, scholars can pass.
--Donna Marie Smith, Main Lib., Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
See all Editorial Reviews
Right from the start of this examination of the personal and cultural meanings of the wearing of uniforms, celebrated author Fussell (Class; The Great War and Modern Memory) creates a light, humorous tone by disclosing his almost fetishistic interest in his subject: "All my life, I have had a thing about uniforms." Peppering his historical data with campy asides, the author goes on to fondly-and obsessively-analyze the roles that uniforms play in all walks of life: the military, the church, hospitals, restaurants, sports and even everyday civilian life. In each of these contexts, Fussell explores the symbolism of every aspect of uniforms-fabrics, buttons, badges, bows. Readers will learn, for instance, that Italian troops in WWII were considered "dandies and losers" by the Allies, mostly because they wore headgear accessorized with such vain flourishes as feathers and horsehair tails. Although his view of people's sartorial proclivities can be a bit jaundiced-Nazi Hermann Goering's love of furs makes him a "heterosexual Liberace," Ernest Hemingway is a "semi-weirdo" because of his lifelong soldier fantasies-Fussell's funny, touching insights spring from an unmistakable compassion for people's need to feel "the comfort and vanity of belonging." Whether its wearer is striving for power, virtue, courage or cleanliness, the purpose of a uniform, the author concludes, is to intimately and symbolically connect him or her to a specific community with a common purpose-thus repeating the experience of home. 8 pages of photos.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
In his cursory study of uniforms, Fussell attempts to uncover the meaning of these special, emotionally laden garments. A prolific writer, Fussell won a National Book Award for The Great War and Modern Memory, which was included on Modern Library's list of "Best 100 Nonfiction Books of the 20th Century." His latest work, however, falls short. Presenting mostly examples from the previous century, Fussell sets out to show how uniforms shape and define a person. In a chatty, informal tone, he discusses a wide range of uniforms. From Nazi military attire to "sexy" UPS garb, Fussell points out the lore and lure of these habiliments. The chapters "Blue Jeans" and "Deliverers" are more amusing and thoughtful than the rest of the work. Most chapters offer only a superficial treatment of the topic, but Fussell is a popular writer who may generate some demand. Because the book lacks both a bibliography and an index, scholars can pass.
--Donna Marie Smith, Main Lib., Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
See all Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
