Why Kitsch Sells

Hat tip to Richard Florida for making me aware of this book.

Carl Wilson is the author of Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste.

For more of the following text by Wilson read here:

'Musical subcultures exist because our guts tell us certain kinds of music are for certain kinds of people. We are attracted to a song's beat, its edge, its warmth, its idiosyncrasy, the singer's je ne sais quoi; we check out the music our friends or cultural guides commend. But it's hard not to notice how those processes reflect and contribute to self-definition, how often persona and musical taste happen to jibe.'

There are a lot of reasons to read this book. Those who have some experiential knowledge of that Dionysian urban concoction called Las Vegas will especially enjoy Wilson's reading of kitsch artistic expressions and the city itself.

The premise of the book is fundamentally a 'reading' of taste. What is it about such performers as Céline Dion that allows them to evoke either extreme dislike or utter adoration? Is it, perhaps, that we need the presence of kitsch as much as the presence of substance?


Mostly, I am of the belief that what kind of music we invest in and listen to reflects our very natures. Hence, doing a reading of musical tastes reveals many things of substance about us.

Wilson's book is the kind of fast read that forces one to ask lasting questions. And that can never be a bad thing.


graph per b&n

Snowboarding When Covered and Physically Healthy

While not many of us will ever come close to snowboarding like the a Flying Tomato or a Danny Kass, we can still enjoy the sport and the unique release it offers. And if we can leave the slopes with all our bones intact, then even better. Mission accomplished, I would say.

Snowboarding is no walk in the park. It is an intense sport. But what I find truly gripping about this activity is the equalizing effect the snow seems to have on everyone. Girl, boy, short, tall, soft boots, those who are especially interested in the clothing aspect of the sport and those who have to be on the slopes because they have to, and so forth. While some are more likely than others to damage, say their tail bone or a left foot, both examples being highly hypothetical, of course, when first standing on the board everyone seems the same. There are no observable differences and all appear to be the same. Till one actually gives in to the laws of physics and carefully tries to master the art of balancing one's weight on the board, of course. While the scenery is idyllic and one might feel like writing poetry while breathing the fresh air and being surrounded by white, one should first and foremost try to be safe.

After all, treatment for physical injuries that occur on the slopes is responsible for a third of all travel insurance claims.

So, if you're busting a huge air, or simply enjoying the surroundings while on your soft boots, first and foremost remember to have good coverage and be safe.

Graph of Shaun 'Flying Tomato' White

Hotel Theory: Where Fiction and Nonfiction Meet

Wayne Koestenbaum's Hotel Theory is a book that marries two narratives in one. The first is a semantic discussion of hotels and the second a fictional account entitled Hotel Women in which some of the characters are Lana Turner and Liberace. What makes this book unique is the way it manages to marry the fiction and nonfiction. Koestenbaum genders the hotel space and the characters he features in a contextually entertaining way.
Definitely a good read. And those of you interested in literary theory and depictions of urban concepts in literature, Hotel Theory will be most enjoyable.

graph per amazon