Synopses & Reviews
Dirty Words in “Deadwood” showcases literary analyses of the
Deadwood television series by leading western American literary critics. Whereas previous reaction to the series has largely addressed the question of historical accuracy rather than intertextuality or literary complexity, Melody Graulich and Nicolas S. Witschis edited volume brings a much-needed perspective to
Deadwoods representation of the frontier West.
As Graulich observes in her introduction: “With its emotional coherence, compelling characterizations, compressed structural brilliance, moral ambiguity, language experiments, interpretation of the past, relevance to the present, and engagement with its literary forebears, Deadwood is an aesthetic triumph as historical fiction and, like much great literature, makes a case for the humanistic value of storytelling.” From previously unpublished interviews with series creator David Milch to explorations of sexuality, disability, cinematic technique, and western narrative, this collection focuses on Deadwood as a series ultimately about the imagination, as a verbal and visual construct, and as a literary masterpiece that richly rewards close analysis and interpretation.
Review
"Melody Graulich and Nicholas S. Witschi offer a smart collection of 11 essays that deconstruct Deadwood."—True West
Review
"Dirty Words in Deadwood will be welcomed by Deadwood scholars and casual readers looking for fresh insights into Milch's iconoclastic series."—Brad Benz, Great Plains Quarterly
Review
"Solidly researched and persuasively argued. . . . Dirty Words in Deadwood expands upon its multiple meanings from a broad scope of perspectives that situate the series in a startlingly contemporary world."—Kirsten Møllegaard, Journal of American Culture
Synopsis
Castleman and Podrazik present a sweeping season-by-season survey,
capturing the essence of television from its inception to the present. The
authors have dug through mounds of obscure facts, offbeat anecdotes,
and the complicated network strategies that have made television a
multibillion-dollar industry. By presenting every prime-time schedule, season
by season, from the fall of 1944, Watching TV provides a fascinating
history of how the personalities, popular shows, and coverage of key
events have evolved during the past six decades.
Full of facts, firsts, insights, and exploits, as well as rare and memorable
photographs, Watching TV is the standard history of American
television. This expanded edition includes thorough coverage up to the
2009-10 television season.
About the Author
Melody Graulich is a professor of English and American studies at Utah State University and the editor of Western American Literature. She is the coeditor of In Search of a Common