M. Keith Booker

Absolutely loved this book. It ticked all the boxes for me: facts, Star Trek, cultural commentary, and sociology. What's not to love?! This book covers all aspects of the Star Trek universe including the different TV series (excepting Below Decks and Picard which came out after its publication), movies, books, and merchandise. The main focus though is on TOS (The Original Series) and the various ways that its episodes spoke to the cultural zeitgeist. The Cold War, gender politics, fear of technology, and race relations are the main themes of TOS and Booker goes through each of them by delving into specific episodes. He even does a mini summary and wrap up of the TOS episodes at the end of the book (I don't know why I found that so thrilling). If you're a Trek nerd like myself and/or you're interested in how it reflected, analyzed, and at times subverted the politics of its time then you'll really love this book.… (mehr)

I liked the idea behind this book. There are very few surveys of literary theory that approach the subject in practical degrees (from very general introductions to specific applications) with an aim towards professional academic usage.

However, Prof. Booker leaves much to be desired, and I still don't exactly understand why the second part ("Introduction to the Application of Literary Theory," where he goes through and treats specific works with a touch of the previously introduced literary strategies) even exists. I would have liked to read more seminal essays within each theory, which would mean shrinking part two into brief introductions and expanding the third part of the book.

Although I did like the way he was able to keep straight some of the potentially tortuous psychoanalytic concepts of Lacan, there are more sophisticated surveys available.

All in all, if you've never read lit theory, I'd recommend the introduction and the opening chapters as a useful handbook to supplement your interests. The essays in the back are great, but only relevant if you happen to be studying that particular text and/or working in that literary strategy for the first time.… (mehr)

I liked the idea behind this book. There are very few surveys of literary theory that approach the subject in practical degrees (from very general introductions to specific applications) with an aim towards professional academic usage.

However, Prof. Booker leaves much to be desired, and I still don't exactly understand why the second part ("Introduction to the Application of Literary Theory," where he goes through and treats specific works with a touch of the previously introduced literary strategies) even exists. I would have liked to read more seminal essays within each theory, which would mean shrinking part two into brief introductions and expanding the third part of the book.

Although I did like the way he was able to keep straight some of the potentially tortuous psychoanalytic concepts of Lacan, there are more sophisticated surveys available.

All in all, if you've never read lit theory, I'd recommend the introduction and the opening chapters as a useful handbook to supplement your interests. The essays in the back are great, but only relevant if you happen to be studying that particular text and/or working in that literary strategy for the first time.… (mehr)