This book offers an exploration of the comprehensive impact of the events of September 11, 2001, on every aspect of American culture and society.
On Thanksgiving day after September 11, 2001, comic strip creators directed readers to donate money in their artwork, generating $50,000 in relief funds. The world’s largest radio network, Clear Channel, sent a memo to all of its affiliated stations recommending 150 songs that should be eliminated from airplay because of assumptions that their lyrics would be perceived as offensive in light of the events of 9/11. On the first anniversary of September 11th, choirs around the world performed Mozart’s Requiem at 8:46 am in each time zone, the time of the first attack on the World Trade Center.
These examples are just three of the ways the world—but especially the United States—responded to the events of September 11, 2001. Each chapter in this book contains a chronological overview of the sea of changes in everyday life, literature, entertainment, news and media, and visual culture after September 11. Shorter essays focus on specific books, TV shows, songs, and films.
Features
- More than 100 aspects of American culture are discussed in terms of their response to—or reflection of—the events of September 11
- 68 scholars from a variety of disciplines contributed to this book
- A compelling chronological view of how America responded to the September 11 attacks—in our everyday life, our work environments, and in popular culture
- Helpful indexes offer access to the entries by genre, title, and author
- Spotlight essays discuss specific television shows, films, music, literature, and art works that came as a result of September 11, while shorter essays focus on specific books, TV shows, songs, and films.
Sara E. Quay, PhD, is dean of the school of education and director of the Endicott Scholars Honors Program at Endicott College, Beverly, MA. Her published works include Greenwood's Westward Expansion and Cultural History of Reading, as well as articles on cultural studies, pedagogy, and leadership.
Amy M. Damico, PhD, is associate professor in the School of Communication at Endicott College, Beverly, MA, and is the faculty advisor to the Endicott Scholars honors program. Her published works include articles on media literacy, health, teaching, and learning, and children's media. Damico has developed an upper-level course on September 11 and popular culture, and integrates components of this subject in many of her classes.
Reviews
"With the upcoming tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, this guide is suggested for midsized and larger public libraries, middle grade to high school libraries, and academic popular collections."—Library Journal, December 15, 2010
"The editors are to be commended for including unusual topics that might pique the interest of students and general readers: greeting cards, comic books, humor, and comfort food for the recovery workers, among others. This book is a good ready-reference source for students, researchers, and general readers."—Booklist Online, November 12, 2010
"This well-produced guide is a surprisingly rich compendium of the numerous ways in which the events of 9/11 have insinuated themselves into people's daily lives and the cultural landscape. . . . this is a nuanced, sensitive guide to a profoundly powerful and disturbing historic event."—Choice, March 23, 2011
