Signs of Life in the U.S.A. : Readings on Popular Culture for Writers

by Jack Solomon; Sonia Maasik

some underlining and slight annotation

Genres: Nonfiction, Textbooks, Writing, Academic, Reference, College

823 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Jeffrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, I'm not into pop culture anyway. Besides, I can think of 100s of things that are more interesting than "Credit Card Babrie," "The Semiotics of Home Decor," "Reality TV meets Plastic Surgery," "So You Wanna Be A Gansgsta," "The Science of Shopping," or even "Funky White Boys and Honorary Soul Sisters." Just reading these titles make me ill.

Why is it that the popular and unimportant or even unnecessary (Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Kim Kardashian, et. al.) get way too much attention.

Just because something's popular doesn't mean there's redeeming value or that it should be given obsessive attention. Hell, at one time the oppression of women and slavery were popular. Were these great ideas that needed to be delved into or merely erased and forgotten.

Your choice. I've made mine.

[Tito Quiling, Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book on sale, which was such a useful read and reference when I was preparing for lectures for class as a newbie instructor. Many of the chapters discuss how traditional media--from print, to broadcasting (radio and television), and films are embedded in our everyday engagement, to the point where our lives can be crafted by which media we consume. As part of popular culture, personal and collective histories are marked by media products/productions that serve as prompts for people.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

English 630C: Popular Culture

[CAITLIN · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars - some of the “pop culture references” were dated or not popular enough that I even knew what they were. (That girl from Heroes still acts in stuff, what??)

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, had a lot of stories and different connections to the real world

[Nanto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buku pop culture di Amerika yang dibeli seharga 25 rebu saja. Punya saya terbitan tahun 1997. Buku ringan karena mengajarkan sambil jalan, tentang hal-hal sekeliling kita. Proses pemaknaan itu bisa mulai dari soal kapan dan dimana dan sistem budaya yang dikandung dalam benda dan kegiatan di sekeliling kita. Kita memang hidup dalam kepungan ribuan tanda yang sayang untuk dilewatkan saja. Sayang juga jika hanya hanyut dalam kebudayaan bebek (massa) tanpa jelas posisi kita.

Topik bahasannya beragam kultur belanja dengan melihat dan memperhatikan sebuah ruang publik yang tidak sepenuhnya "publik" bernama mall, film, iklan, hingga ke dunia maya. Buku menarik karena tidak hanya menjejali tentang teori dan konsep namun langsung mengoperasikan sebagai kacamata kritis terhadap budaya terdekat di sekitar kita.

[Mert · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 Stars (%42/100)

Sonia Maasik’s Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers is a widely used textbook designed to help students engage critically with popular culture through writing and rhetorical analysis. It draws on examples from advertising, television, film, social media, and other contemporary forms of media, making the content timely and relatable for college composition courses.

However, its strength—accessibility—can also be its limitation. The essays and readings, while varied, often simplify complex cultural dynamics, and the thematic sections can feel repetitive or overly structured for more advanced readers. Additionally, some of the chosen examples may date quickly, requiring frequent updates to stay relevant.

[Stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 It's a very good reader on culture and media studies. I really liked the introduction to each chapter; they were insightful and sometimes more helpful and interesting than the actual reading selections. My only qualm is that for a text on culture studies, particularly pop culture, that more space was not dedicated to discussions on critical race theory or gender studies that go beyond just the surface level. Also, I felt that the discussion of tv shows (although I appreciate it) just bled into other sections way too much. The first sections were excellent however. I would still recommend it and find so many essays thought-provoking.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like Profiles of popular culture : a reader, this is a collection of essays culled from different sources with introductory material and discussion questions at the end of each piece, but unlike the former book, the essays stand well on their own and you can pretty much ignore the supplementary material and still have a good read.

Side note: I'm getting a little burnt out on the Pop Culture thing; I think I'm going to go back on an Information Management kick for a while.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is fantastic to give to high school students. A lot of introductory essays on Semiotics that are readable and accessible. Many of my students disagreed with the interpretations in some of the essays, which were conducive to various types of dialogues that both myself and the students could engage in. I dig it when kids can read material that forces them to question their surroundings.

[Dianah Fabry]

I am assigned to read selections from this book for my College Writing II class. I accidentally bought the wrong book and when I went to get the correct on at the bookstore, they were all out. I have an assignment due on our next class meeting :( I am going to research semiotics and as much as I can about pages 75-85. My teacher is suppose to send me the writing prompt on page 81.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has a ton of essay type papers that are all about the culture we live in. i'm not enjoying it to much because I think some of the arguments expressed are a little far fetched. Again, this is a secular book so some of the content isn't good.

[Lama]

It is a great book. It shows how the life of capitalism started in the United States and then, how we are perceived to advertisers nowadays. We are being studied carefully in order to want more and buy more!!

[Aleina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm done!! I've read all the essays I had to read for my class (so that may not actually mean the entire book) but wow! It was good for a book in college. ^_^ I really enjoyed a lot of the essays and would definitely recommend this to people especially if they have a curious mind. :)

[Sandra Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED IT!

[Nascha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of essays covering many facets of American life.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fall 2010

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read for a lit class. I enjoyed it much more than most required reading, which I usually loathe.

[Danica is Booked · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this for my class on pop culture. The pieces were intriguing; however, I didn't always agree with the articles.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read selections for a class--a good collection, though an article or two were not as well-organized as I would like.