The book teaches readers the usefulness of learning to actively "read" their surroundings. The new edition features a greatly expanded section on writing, editing, and making arguments. KEY TOPICS: This cultural studies reader directly engages the process of reading and writing about the “texts” one sees in everyday life. Using the lenses of rhetoric, semiotics and cultural studies, students are encouraged to become effective academic writers while gaining deeper insights into such popular culture categories as movies, technology, race, ethnicity, television, media, relationships, public space, and more.  MARKET: For anyone who enjoys provocative and engaging material, and is interested in developing an appreciation for diverse cultural literary works.

Table of Contents:
Introduction                                                                                                                          Reading, Writing, Culture, and Texts: An Introduction to the Introduction Semiotics: The Study of Signs (and Texts) Systems of Reading: Making Sense of Cultural Texts The “Semiotic Situation” (or the “Moving Text”)     Texts, the World, You, and Your Papers     Rhetoric: Writing’s Soundtrack From Rhetoric to Writing   Reading the World as a Text: Writing’s Overture — Three Case Studies CASE STUDY   - Reading Public Space: Starbucks     CASE STUDY  — Reading Fonts: How Type Can Say a lot about Type        CASE STUDY  - Can We Laugh?: Reading Art and Humor in Geico Commercials   Reading This Text as a Text: Tips on Using this Book The World Is a Text: Writing     The World Is a Text: Reading     So, the World Is a Text: What Can You Do With It?       SECTION ONE - The World Is a Text: Writing                                                                     A Short Guide to The World Is a Text: Writing       PART I. How Do I Write a Text for College? Making the Transition from High School Writing by Patti Strong       PART II. From Semiotics to Lenses: Finding an Approach for your Essays             by Dean Rader and Jonathan Silverman             Lenses, microscopes, and windows             Language and elements of literary interpretation             Context, historical and other             Race, class, gender, sexual orientation, region, age–and more             Landing on an Approach: An Entrée to the Essay Itself   Part III. How Do I Write About Popular Culture Texts? A Tour Through the Writing Process     Understanding the Assignment     Freewriting and Brainstorming     Outlining     Constructing a Good Thesis     Building an Opening Paragraph: A Case Study     Building Good Paragraphs     Drafting the Whole Essay     Editing and Revising, Editing and Revising, Editing and Revising     Turning in the Finished Product    Some Final Tips–A Recap    PART IV. How Do I Argue About Popular Culture Texts? A Guide for Building Good Arguments     Knowing Your Arguments            Making Claims         Using Claims and Support to Make Arguments: Some Helpful Tips         Synthesis: Pulling it all together Know Your Audience     Use Common Sense   PART V. How Do I Get Info on Songs? Researching Popular Culture Texts     Researching Non-Traditional Texts: One Method     Nuts and Bolts Research     Guerilla Research       PART VI. How Do I Know What a Good Paper Looks Like? An Annotated Student Essay       PART VII. How Do I Cite This Car? Guidelines for Citing Popular Culture Texts     Using Parenthetical References     Building the Works Cited Page     Plagiarism     Works Cited Examples       PART VIII. How Am I a Text? On Writing Personal Essays       SECTION TWO — THE WORLD IS A TEXT: READING 1. Reading and Writing about the World around You Dean Rader, Reading and Writing about Your Campus Jonathan Silverman, Reading and Writing about The Road Elisabeth Piedmont-Marton, Reading and Writing about Fashion Jonathan Hunt, Reading and Writing about a Bicycle Peter Hartlaub, Reading and Writing about Video Games Cristina Deluca, Reading and Writing about Social Networking Sites: Making Friends and             Getting “Poked” Lee Transue, Reading and Writing about Family Guy: The Semiotics of Stream of             Consciousness Brandon Brown, Reading and Writing about a Laboratory Catherine Zimmer, Reading and Writing about YouTube: The You in YouTube Dean Rader and Jonathan Silverman, Reading and Writing about Advertising: Two Case             Studies   2. Reading And Writing About Television Harry Waters, “Life According To Tv” Garance Franke-Ruta, “Beyond Fear: Heroes vs. 24 ” Peter Parisi, “`Black Bart’ Simpson: Appropriation And Revitalization In Commodity Culture” Katherine Gantz, “Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That” Archana Mehta , Society’s Need For A Queer Solution: The Media’s Reinforcement Of             Homophobia Through Traditional Gender Roles Student Essay: Dave Rinehart, Sex Sells: A Marxist Criticism of Sex and the City Student Assignment: Hillary West, Media Journal: The Rosie O’donnell Show   The Reality Tv Suite Henry Goldblatt And Ken Tucker, “Reality Tv Bites–Or Does It: The New Soap Opera Or The End Of Civilization. A Point-Counterpoint” [US1] Laurie Ouelette And Susan Murray, “Reality Tv: Remaking Television Culture” Richard M. Huff, “Real Or Not, It Doesn’t Matter” Stephanie Greco Larson, “Reality Television: American Myths And Racial Ideology” [US2] [US3]  3. Reading and Writing about the Visual Arts The Is it Art? Suite E. G. Chrichton, “Is The Names Quilt Art?” Diana Mack, "It Isn't Pretty But Is It Art?" Steve Grody, “Graffiti: The Anatomy Of A Piece” Student Essay: Theresa George, “The Multifacted Nature Of Street Art” Alan Pratt, “Andy Warhol: The Most Controversial Artist Of The Century?” Student Essay: Anne Darby, “#27: Reading And Writing About Cindy Sherman And Gender” Scott Mccloud, "Sequential Art"   The Reading A Photograph Suite Thomas Hoepker, Frank Rich, And David Plotz, “One Photo, Two Lenses: Frank Rich And David Plotz On One Of The Most Controversial Photos of 9/11  ” Gert Van Langendonck, “Award-Winning Photo Puts Subjects On Defensive” Errol Morris, “Liar, Liar Pants On Fire”   The Censorship Suite J. S. G. Boggs, Life Size & In Color/American Supreme Justice Andres Serrano, Piss Christ Mapplethorpe, Joe Dread Scott, What Is The Proper Way To Display A Us Flag Avalos, Hock And Sisco, Welcome To America’s Finest Tourist Plantation Grany Fury, Kissing Doesn’t Kill Serrano, Klanswoman Andy Cox, Citybank Posters Kara Walker, Camptown Ladies Chris Ofili, The Holy Virgin Alma Lopez, Our Lady Renee Cox, Yo Mama’s Last Supper The Boondocks Cartoon   4. Reading And Writing about Race And Ethnicity Michael Omi, "In Living Color: Race And American Culture" Amy Tan, "Mother Tongue" Jim Mahfood, "True Tales Of Amerikkkan History Part Ii: The True             Thanksgiving" Beverly Daniel Tatum, “Why Are All The Blacks Sitting Together In The Cafeteria?” Malcolm Gladwell, "The Sports Taboo" Zebedee Nungak, “Qallunaat   : Inuits Study White Folks In This New Academic Field” Teja Arboleda, "Race Is A Four-Letter Word" Betty Shameih: Censoring Myself Student Essay: Amy Truong, “Gender Expectations and Familial Roles within Asian American Culture”   The Native American Mascot Suite C. Richard King And Charles Fruehling Springwood, “Imagined Indians Social Identities And Activism.” Ellen J. Staurowsky, “You Know, We Are All Indian:” Exploring White Power And             Privilege In Reaction To The Ncaa Native American Mascot Policy” S. L, Price, “The Indian Wars” A Suite of Mascot Poems by LeAnne Howe A Suite Of Cartoons "Dude, I'm Honoring You." "Way Cool Outfit" "Can You Imagine"   5. Reading And Writing About Movies Roger Ebert, “Great Movies: The First 100 ” Mary C. Beltrán, “The New Hollywood Racelessness: Only The Fast, Furious, (And Multiracial) Will Survive” Bell Hooks, "Mock Feminism"  Louise Erdrich, "Dear John Wayne" & Sherman Alexie, "My Heroes Have Never Been Cowboys" Jason Silverman, “Deciphering I: Robot- Random Thoughts From An Evolving Film Critic” Jill Birnie Henke, Diane Zimmerman Umble, And Nancy J. Smith, “Construction Of The Female Self: Feminist Reading And Writing About Of The Disney Heroine” Student Essay: Whitney Black, Star Wars And America   The Sicko Suite Mick Lasalle, “Need A Doctor, That’s Too Bad” Kyle Smith, “Botched Operation” Maggie Mahar, “Sicko And Healthcare Reform” Arthur Caplan, “Nothing Funny About Sicko”   Interchapter: Reading And Writing About Images America, Cowboys, The West, And Race The Images Of Gender The Semiotics Of Architecture Landscape, Earth, And Excavation Laundry Two Flags Neighborhoods Cars Signs Private Symbol/Public Space: The Virgen Of Guadalupe Two Photos By Diane Arbus Diners Maps Advertisements “Primitive” Art? Signs?: Two Murals By Rigo Texas Postcards   The American Signs On Route 66 Suite   6. Reading And Writing About Gender Deborah Tannen, "Marked Women, Unmarked Men" Annette Fuentes, “Out Of Style Thinking: Female Politicians And Fashion” Paul Theroux, "Being A Man" Student Essay: Pjeter Dushku, “Pedro Almodovar and Gender” Alfonsina Storni, “You Would Have Me White” Maxine Kingston, “No Name Woman” Siobhan O’ Connor: “Playing Doctor: The Pro-Life Movement’s New Plan For Family Planning” Student Essay: Elizabeth Greenwood, “Unreal City: Gender And War”   Third Wave Feminism Suite Patricia Pender, “Buffy as Third Wave Feminist Icon” Student Essay: Lara Hayhurst, Putting the “Me” Back in Medical Drama: Grey’s Anatomy’s             Adventures in McFeminism Student Essay: Gwendolyn Limbach, “La Femme Veronica”: Intelligence as Power in             Veronica Mars Student Essay: Catherine Kirifides, Classically Different:, Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette             Takes a New Look at What It Means to Be a Girl   7. Reading And Writing About Space: Public And Private Frances Halsband, “Campuses In Place” Daphne Spain, Spatial Segregation And Gender Stratification In The Workplace William L. Hamilton, “How Suburban Design Is Failing Teenagers” Kenneth Meeks, “Shopping In A Group While Black: A Coach’s Story” Robert Bednar, Making Space On The Side Of The Road: Towards A Cultural Study Of Roadside Car Crash Memorials”  Hugh Hardy, “Media And The City” Student Essay: Matt King, “Reading The Nautical Star”   The Mall Suite Nancy Backes, “Reading The Shopping Mall City” Dolores Hayden, “’Planned Sprawl’ And The Rise Of The Mall” James Farrell, “The Politics Of No Politics” William Severini Kowinski, “D. C. Panoply–And The First Black Mall”   8. Reading And Writing About Advertising And Journalism Robert Love, “Before Jon Stewart: The Growth Of Fake News. Believe It” Clint C. Wilson And Felix Gutierrez, "Advertising And People Of Color" William Lutz, "Weasel Words" David Mcgowan, “The America The Media Don't Want You To See” Teresa J. Donzal and Jerome Kernan, “Reading Advertising: The Why And How Of Product             Meaning” Student Essay: Brittany Gray, “Hanes Her Way” Student Essay: Arianne Galino, “Sister Act: A Destructive Form Of Writing”   The Future Of Journalism Suite Mark Glaser, “Techno-Optimism:  Reasons There’s a Bright Future for Journalism” Paul Farhi, “Rolling the Dice” Jay Rosen: “Bloggers vs. Journalists is over” Michael Kinsley, “Extra! Extra! The future of Newspapers” Jeremy Caplan, “Forum: the Future of Newspapers”   The Iraq War Suite Daniel Schulman, “Mind Games” Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR): Media Advisory, Iraq and the Media A Critical             Timeline Matt Sanchez, Live from Baghdad: The press’s war. Jack Shafer, “The press dun good in Iraq. But they could have dun better” Meteor Blades, “Red State, Blue State: Hometown News” John Hockenberry, “The Blogs of War”   9.  Reading And Writing About Relationships Margaret Atwood, “Fiction: Happy Endings” Andrew Sullivan, “If Love Were All” David Sedaris, “To Make A Friend, Be A Friend” Tracy Seeley, “My Mother’s Hands” Emily Nussbaum, “Say Everything”   The College Relationship Suite Student Essay: Emily Littlewood, “Can You Handle The Commitment?: Three Types of College Relationships” Libby Copeland, “Boy Friend; Between Those Two Words, A Guy Can Get Crushed” Laura Kipnis, “Off Limits: Should Students Be Allowed To Hook Up With Professors?” Kathleen Dean More And  Lani Roberts, “Case Study #  : Harmful Hug” Deni Elliot And Paul Martin Lester, “When Is It Ok To Invite A Student To Dinner?”   10. Reading And Writing About Music Kevin J.H. Dettmar And William Richey, "Musical Cheese: The Appropriation Of Seventies Music In Nineties Movies" Student Essay: Fouzia Baber, "Is Tupac Dead?" Student Essay: Sarah Hawkins, "Right On Target: Revisiting Elvis Costello's My Aim Is             True" Student Essay: "Smells Like Teen Spirit," By Matt Compton Alessandro Portelli, "Coal Miner's Daughter"   The Authenticity Suite David Sanjek “All the Memories Money Can Buy) Stephen Metcalf, “Faux Americana: Why I Still Love Bruce Springsteen” Carrie Brownstein “More Rock, Less Talk: Live Music Turns Off the Voices in Our Heads” Kelefa Sanneh, “The Rap Against Rockism”   11. Reading and Writing about Technology  [This chapter is on line at www.prenhall.com/silverman .]   Credits                                                                                                                                                 Index  [US1]  [US2]  [US3]