Halloween: The History of America's Darkest Holiday
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- Synopsis
- Wonderfully well-written, outrageous, and provocative." -- Booklist."Entertaining ... and scholarly ... Like a bag of Halloween candy, the book is a lot of fun." -- Boston Globe."Fans of cultural history will devour each chapter ... like a toothsome treat." -- Christian Science Monitor.Acclaimed cultural critic David J. Skal explores one of America's most perplexingly popular holidays in this original mix of personal anecdotes and social analysis. Skal traces Halloween's evolution from its dark Celtic history and quaint, small-scale celebrations to its emergence as mammoth seasonal marketing event.Skal takes readers on a cross-country survey that covers remarkably divergent perspectives, from the merchants who welcome a money-making opportunity that's second only to Christmas to fundamentalists who decry Halloween a form of blasphemy and practicing witches who embrace it as a holy day. He also profiles individuals who revel in this once-a-year occasion to participate in elaborate fantasies. Their narratives, combined with the author's cultural analysis, offer a revealing look at an intriguing aspect of our national psyche.
- Copyright:
- 2002
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Publisher Quality
- ISBN-13:
- 9780486812823
- Related ISBNs:
- 9780486805214
- Publisher:
- Dover Publications
- Date of Addition:
- 08/03/18
- Copyrighted By:
- David J. Skal
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- History, Nonfiction, Social Studies
- Submitted By:
- Bookshare Staff
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.