Synopses & Reviews
Thanks to advancing technology and shifting mores, the amount of change we experience in our lifetimes is truly exceptional. Objects and practices that are commonplace can very quickly become outmoded. In this witty and informative collection of short essays, journalist and social commentator Anna Jane Grossman takes a thoughtful look at what everyday apparatuses, ideas, and behaviors are quickly disappearingor else have already left the building.
Obsolete contains essays and entries on more than 100 alphabetized fading subjects, including Blind Dates, Mix Tapes, Getting Lost, Porn Magazines, Looking Old, Operators, Camera Film, Hitchhiking, Body Hair, Writing Letters, Basketball Players in Short Shorts, Privacy, Cash, and, yes, Books. This ode to obsolescence also includes 25 quirky pen-and-ink line illustrations to further help us remember exactly what were missing.
Review
"...filled with nostalgia memory bombs that will apparently make you want to 'throw your ponytail into a scrunchie and take a swig from your can of Surge.'"
—The Huffington Post
"The language is snappy, the pace brisk, and the research impressive. Cooper and Bellmont know how to dig..."
—Pop Matters
[If] “and you just want to crawl under the covers and relive your youth with something sweet, check out Gael Fashingbauer Cooper and Brian Bellmonts new book The Totally Sweet 90s.”
—Jen X ‘67
“Its full of fun trivia and facts about all the games, toys, and pop culture that made the 1990s awesome.”
—How About We
Synopsis
If you can tell the difference between the Petes in Pete and Pete, know every step to the Macarena by heart, and remember when The Real World was about more than just drunken hookups, The Totally Sweet 90s will be a welcome trip down memory lane.
With this hella cool guide, youll reminisce about that glorious decade when Beanie Babies seemed like a smart economic investment and Kris Kross had you wearing your pants backward. Whether you contracted dysentery on the Oregon Trail or longed to attend Janet Renos Dance Party, youll get a kick out of seeing which toys, treats, and trends stayed around, and which flopped.
So throw your ponytail into a scrunchie, take a swig from your can of Surge, and join us on this ride through the unforgettable (and sometimes unforgivable) trends of the 90s.
About the Author
Anna Jane Grossman is a New Yorkbased freelance writer specializing in lifestyle and arts and entertainment features. Her work has appeared in dozens of publications, including the
New York Times, Salon.com, the
Washington Post, CNN.com, the Associated Press,
Elle, New York Magazine, Marie Claire, and
Fortune.