Why dont you come up and see me sometime? Mae West invited and promptly captured the imagination of generations. Even today; years after her death; the actress and author is still regarded as the pop archetype of sexual wantonness and ribald humor. But who was this saucy starlet; a woman who was controversial enough to be jailed; pursued by film censors and banned from the airwaves for the revolutionary content of her work; and yet would ascend to the status of film legend?Sifting through previously untapped sources; author Jill Watts unravels the enigmatic life of Mae West; tracing her early years spent in the Brooklyn subculture of boxers and underworld figures; and follows her journey through burlesque; vaudeville; Broadway and; finally; Hollywood; where she quickly became one of the big screens most popular--and colorful--stars. Exploring Wests penchant for contradiction and her carefully perpetuated paradoxes; Watts convincingly argues that Mae West borrowed heavily from African American culture; music; dance and humor; creating a subversive voice for herself by which she artfully challenged society and its assumptions regarding race; class and gender. Viewing West as a trickster; Watts demonstrates that by appropriating for her character the black tradition of double-speak and "signifying;" West also may have hinted at her own African-American ancestry and the phenomenon of a black woman passing for white.This absolutely fascinating study is the first comprehensive; interpretive account of Mae Wests life and work. It reveals a beloved icon as a radically subversive artist consciously creating her own complex image.
#2291273 in eBooks 2005-08-25 2005-08-25File Name: B00VNZQKWS
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A Hundred Mile Long Agri-Tourism Attraction; Image by ImageBy Ralph WhiteYou werent looking for artisanal cheeses. You werent looking for locally distilled cherry brandy...gladiolas...blueberries. All you knew was that you needed to get off the New York State Thruway. Your destination was less important than your journey. You didnt know you were an "agri-tourist." Youd never heard the word and had certainly never seen it in print. But when you heard Steve Osborn; the owner of Stoutridge Vineyard; use the term; it resonated with you. You realized that it wasnt just the farmers markets that had attracted you. You found that you liked the people. You liked being under their roofs; you liked their country vocabulary; you liked sharing their world; and you also knew youd return.And back home you may not have been looking for a book that captured the region and the people and their energy so accurately. You may not have been looking for a photo gallery of a guide book. You may not even have thought of the Hudson River Valley Farms as an actual destination; just places that made you feel good. But now; armed with Joanne Michaels and Rich Pomerantz book; you now see the Hudson River Valley as a hundred mile long agri-tourism attraction.Visiting the Hudson River Valley Farms through the pages of this wonderful book you will see much more than you would expect see in your next twenty trips on your own. Better still; youll meet many more of the "people behind the produce;" and you will share their entrepreneurial pride. So kick back and read Michaels comfy prose and enjoy the everyday magic of Pomerantz photographs. And; as the authors give you ideas for your next trip; enjoy the rich; amber honey; the camembert; and the vase of anemones you brought back from those Hudson River Valley farms on your last trip. And keep leave the book out on a coffee table where your friends can enjoy it too.3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Great insite into farming industryBy Mary E. MulliganJoanne captures the true mission of NY State farmers markets. There are so many markets now that have popped up; but very few are "true" markets whose purpose is to simultaneously equally; serve consumers; farmers and their communities in a manner that brings value to each and benefits all. Very well organized book giving a good representation of the farming industry by profiling a cross-section of Hudson Valley farmers. Beautifully written and photographed.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great book and fast serviceBy Craig R BuryLove the service and book so much; I bought two. Great way to learn about our local farmers; many you can visit.
