Hip by John Leland
What is "hip?" We can all recognize it when we see it, and yet very few manage to achieve true hipster status. But the meaning of hip goes far beyond an artsy movie or the right pair of sunglasses. Hip's impact belongs to the mainstream, permeating our language, music, literature, fashion, and commerce. From the conservative to the most socially daring, large numbers of Americans hold a nearly identical vision of this inherently subjective standard.
In his book debut, New York Times reporter John Leland tracks the evolution of hip, and how it helped America shape its view of itself. Hip: A History is ultimately the story of the development of American popular culture over the 20th Century. While the racial, economic and philosophical tensions that gave rise to "hip" a century ago have not gone away, they have evolved. And so has hip, as it continues to shape and be shaped by our national character.John Leland is a reporter for the New York Times. His first journalism job was as one of the founding writers and editors of Spin magazine in 1984. Hip: A History is John Leland's first book. He lives in New York City's East Village with his wife and son."Who knew the story of Hip is actually the story of America? This is a nuanced, informative, enjoyable read that takes us from Africa to African Americans, deep into the cultural gumbo that is America. Hip: The History is the seminal work on the topic and a must read for all you hipsters!" -- Fab 5 FreddyJohn Cleland (1709-1789) was an English novelist. Born in Surrey, he was raised in London. His father William Cleland was a military officer and civil servant who, along with his wife Lucy, was a friend of such literary and political figures as Alexander Pope, Viscount Bolingbroke, and Horace Walpole. Cleland attended Westminster School for several years before being expelled for unknown reasons. He joined the British East India Company, traveling to Bombay in 1728 where he worked as a civil servant and lived until 1740. Upon his return to London, he was shunned by his family, and attempted to kickstart the Portuguese East India Company before being arrested for a significant unpaid debt. In Fleet Prison, Cleland wrote Fanny Hill: or, the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, an early pornographic novel which was published in two parts and 1748 and 1749, earning him a second arrest upon his release. Despite being barred from legal publication for over one hundred years, illegal and heavily edited copies of the book sold well during Cleland's lifetime, earning him plenty of infamy without enabling him to profit off his work. Cleland continued to write and publish comedic and satirical works throughout his life, and is remembered today as a controversial figure whose work pushed the boundaries of taste, decency, and legality in a time of extreme conservatism.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780060528171 |
| ISBN 10 | 0060528176 |
| Title | Hip |
| Author | John Leland |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | HarperCollins Publishers Inc |
| Year published | 2004-10-05 |
| Number of pages | 384 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |