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More copies of this ISBNThis title in other editionseBook editionsAmerican Nerd: The Story of My Peopleby Benjamin Nugent
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:Now in paperback, “one of the season’s most talked about cultural studies” (Los Angeles Times)—an incisive and irrever- ent appreciation of nerds that combines history, sociology, psy- chology, and memoir from noted journalist and self-proclaimed nerd Ben Nugent. Most people know a nerd when they see one, but yet can’t define just what a nerd is exactly. American Nerd: The Story of My People gives readers the history of the concept of nerdiness and its related subcultures. What makes Dr. Frankenstein the archetypal nerd? Where did the modern jock come from? When and how did being a self-described nerd become trendy? As the nerd emerged in the nineteenth century, and popped up again and again in college humor journals and sketch comedy, our culture obsessed over the phenomenon. “Part history, part memoir, and all funny” (GQ), American Nerd is critically acclaimed writer Benjamin Nugent’s enter- taining fact-finding mission. He seeks the best definition of nerd and illuminates the com- mon ground between nerd sub- cultures that might seem unre- lated: high-school debate team kids and ham radio enthusiasts, medieval reenactors and pro- circuit videogame players. Why do the same people who like to work with computers also enjoy playing Dungeons & Dragons? How are those activi- ties similar? This clever, enlight- ening book will appeal to the nerd (and anti-nerd) that lives inside everyone. Synopsis:Most people know a nerd when they see one but can't define just what a nerd is. American Nerd: The Story of My People gives us the history of the concept of nerdiness and of the subcultures we consider nerdy. What makes Dr. Frankenstein the archetypal nerd? Where did the modern jock come from? When and how did being a self-described nerd become trendy? As the nerd emerged, vaguely formed, in the nineteenth century, and popped up again and again in college humor journals and sketch comedy, our culture obsessed over the designation. Mixing research and reportage with autobiography, critically acclaimed writer Benjamin Nugent embarks on a fact-finding mission of the most entertaining variety. He seeks the best definition of nerd and illuminates the common ground between nerd subcultures that might seem unrelated: high-school debate team kids and ham radio enthusiasts, medieval reenactors and pro-circuit Halo players. Why do the same people who like to work with computers also enjoy playing DungeonsandDragons? How are those activities similar? This clever, enlightening book will appeal to the nerd (and antinerd) that lives inside all of us. About the AuthorBenjamin Nugent joined the staff of Time magazine as an arts and pop culture correspondent at the age of 22. He's gone on to write for numerous publications, including New York magazine, The New York Times Book Review, NME, Legal Affairs, n+1, and the New York Post. Nugent's first book, Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing, a study of the indie rock musician was published in 2004. In 2005, his essay on authors and money, "Security," was included in an anthology of essays by young writers on writing, Bookmark Now, whose other contributors included Nell Freudenberger and Tom Bissell. His n+1 essay ?Why Don't Republicans Write Fiction?? was praised by The Boston Globe Ideas section last week as ?clever? and ?incisive.? He lives in Los Angeles. He was a nerdy child. What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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