The amusement parks which first appeared in England at the turn of the twentieth century represent a startlingly novel and complex phenomenon; combining fantasy architecture; new technology; ersatz danger; spectacle and consumption in a new mass experience. Though drawing on a diverse range of existing leisure practices; the particular entertainment formula they offered marked a radical departure in terms of visual; experiential and cultural meanings. The huge; socially mixed crowds that flocked to the new parks did so purely in the pursuit of pleasure; which the amusement parks commodified in exhilarating new guises. Between 1906 and 1939; nearly 40 major amusement parks operated across Britain. By the outbreak of the Second World War; millions of people visited these sites each year. The amusement park had become a defining element in the architectural psychological pleasurescape of Britain. This book considers the relationship between popular modernity; pleasure and the amusement park landscape in Britain from 1900-1939. It argues that the amusement parks were understood as a new and distinct expression of modern times which redefined the concept of public pleasure for mass audiences. Focusing on three sites - Blackpool Pleasure Beach; Dreamland in Margate and Southends Kursaal - the book contextualises their development with references to the wider amusement park world. The meanings of these sites are explored through a detailed examination of the spatial and architectural form taken by rides and other buildings. The rollercoaster - a defining symbol of the amusement park - is given particular focus; as is the extent to which discourses of class; gender and national identity were expressed through the design of these parks.
#643860 in eBooks 2016-10-04 2016-10-04File Name: B01CXON6RY
Review
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. This books was much better than I expectedBy Lee B. SobelThis books was much better than I expected. It ambitiously covers a lot of genres but it misses the boat by leaving out the early 2000s which was an incredible time in NYC when The Strokes took off and in their wake we not only had New York bands who made it like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Interpol but tons of amazing bands like Radio 4. The Rapture. The Bravery. Longwave. The Fever. Ambulance LTD and so many more. The NYC club scene was exploding at clubs like Luna Lounge. Don Hills. Arlenes Grocery. Mercury Lounge. Bar 13 (when they had the occasional band play live). Pianos. Rothko and so many other places long gone that I cant even remember the names of. In the early 2000s I was going out almost every night in New York City and there was always a cool band playing. Steven Blush - add a chapter about how The Strokes impacted the NYC music scene - say what you will about them because they were "rich kids" or whatever but their first album is a classic and they singlehandedly made NYC the place to be a band in 2001-2006.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy DexterPolyesterVery interesting book. discusses music scenes in NYC that rarely get covered.3 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Shoddy Research !By Lynn ReynerI returned this item. I discovered that the information it was based on was false there were mistakes revealing shoddy research. For example I am mentioned in this book (the reason I bought it) my name is misspelled â—
