4 books found
A breakthrough examination of the professional wrestling, its history, its fans, and its wider cultural impact The Squared Circle grows out of David Shoemaker’s writing for Deadspin, where he started the column “Dead Wrestler of the Week” (which boasts more than 1 million page views)—a feature on the many wrestling superstars who died too young because of the abuse they subject their bodies to—and his writing for Grantland, where he covers the pro wrestling world, and its place in the pop culture mainstream. Shoemaker’s sportswriting has since struck a nerve with generations of wrestling fans who—like him—grew up worshipping a sport often derided as “fake” in the wider culture. To them, these professional wrestling superstars are not just heroes but an emotional outlet and the lens through which they learned to see the world. Starting in the early 1900s and exploring the path of pro wrestling in America through the present day, The Squared Circle is the first book to acknowledge both the sport’s broader significance and wrestling fans’ keen intellect and sense of irony. Divided into eras, each section offers a snapshot of the wrestling world, profiles some of the period’s preeminent wrestlers, and the sport’s influence on our broader culture. Through the brawling, bombast, and bloodletting, Shoemaker argues that pro wrestling can teach us about the nature of performance, audience, and, yes, art. Full of unknown history, humor, and self-deprecating reminiscence—but also offering a compelling look at the sport’s rightful place in pop culture—The Squared Circle is the book that legions of wrestling fans have been waiting for. In it, Shoemaker teaches us to look past the spandex and body slams to see an art form that can explain the world.
Human Intestinal Microflora in Health and Disease deals with human indigenous intestinal flora, the vast assemblage of microorganisms that reside in the intestinal tract. It contains information on the composition of the flora, its development, metabolic activities, importance to the host, and the consequences of upsetting its ecology. The book is organized into four parts. Part I examines the composition and development of intestinal flora. Part II deals with the metabolic activities of intestinal microflora. These include studies on carbohydrate metabolism in the human colon; the compounds used as nitrogen sources by gastrointestinal tract bacteria; and metabolic transformations of xenobiotic compounds carried out by intestinal flora. Part III examines the importance of intestinal microflora, including its role in intestinal structure and function and in suppressing the growth of pathogens. Part IV discusses the factors that can disrupt the ecology of intestinal microflora, such as antimicrobial agents, pseudomembranous colitis, and dietary and environmental stress. The research presented in this book will be of interest to both basic scientists and physicians concerned with the effects of the intestinal flora on human life.
This volume presents selections from the highly-respected Cosby collection of African American art. Their introductions elaborate on their strong belief that African American families should themselves seek to preserve their cultural history and not rely on the mainstream. They also provide interesting background about how they began their collection and what owning the art has meant to them. The essay by Driskell (curator, author, and scholar) places each artist within the context of his or her era from the late 1700s to the present, and explores the historical, biographical, social, and political background of each period. Also contains biographies of the artists. Beautifully illustrated with 91 color plates and several other illustrations. Oversize: 10.25x13.25". Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR
As printing from movable type was perfected in the fifteenth century, the mysteries of its practice were guarded by a privileged few. The rapid spread of the new art depended on the reliable mechanism for transferring knowledge. By the end of the seventeenth century, however, the pioneers of manufacturing technology and scientific inquiry were prying away at trade secrecy. This book shows the history of printing manuals from 1683 to the end of the nineteenth century, including some of the rarest in existence from the Cary Collection at Rochester institute of Technology.