A richly detailed, often surprising work of comic-book scholarship.
Hanley traces the long, strange existence of Wonder Woman, the world’s most famous female superhero and complicated feminist icon.
Wonder Woman’s creator, psychologist William Moulton Marston, proves to be by far the most fascinating character in the narrative. An accomplished three-time Harvard graduate, co-inventor of the polygraph (which found an analog in Wonder Woman’s truth-compelling magic lasso) and developer of the still relevant DISC theory of human behavior, Marston was also a polyamorous bondage enthusiast who believed in the imminence of a shift in society toward matriarchy. His creation was intended to prepare young boys for their inevitable disenfranchisement—indeed, to make them happy about it. From this heady stew of high-minded theory and sexual kinkiness, Marston added a pastiche of Greek mythology tropes, and his Avenging Amazon was born. Hanley charts the many incarnations of the character over the decades, from bland post-Marston escapist twaddle to the disastrous attempts to make her “relevant” and hip in the mod era to Gloria Steinem’s successful campaign to return Wonder Woman to her girl-power roots and establish her as an icon of liberal feminism. At each stage, Wonder Woman was beset by bizarre tonal inconsistencies, muddled ideology and frequent editorial neglect or incompetence. Hanley identifies the character’s lack of a coherent, consistent core and, paradoxically, her strength as an icon. Simultaneously semiotically loaded and a blank slate, Wonder Woman is uniquely positioned to reflect whatever values her various constituencies wish to project. Hanley’s analysis is well-argued and richly supported, but he is prone to long digressions—e.g., his discussion of Marston’s cheesy erotic novel and a fixation on Lois Lane. Ultimately, though, the author offers a compelling and insightful consideration of a cultural icon that has endured and engaged with the culture for many decades without ever truly being known.
A richly detailed, often surprising work of comic-book scholarship.Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61374-909-8
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Review Posted Online: June 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
A heartfelt if somewhat unsurprising view of old age by the former president. Carter (Living Faith, 1996, etc.) succinctly evaluates the evolution and current status of federal policies concerning the elderly (including a balanced appraisal of the difficulties facing the Social Security system). He also meditates, while drawing heavily on autobiographical anecdotes, on the possibilities for exploration and intellectual and spiritual growth in old age. There are few lightning bolts to dazzle in his prescriptions (cultivate family ties; pursue the restorative pleasures of hobbies and socially minded activities). Yet the warmth and frankness of Carter’s remarks prove disarming. Given its brevity, the work is more of a call to senior citizens to reconsider how best to live life than it is a guide to any of the details involved.
Pub Date: Oct. 26, 1998
ISBN: 0-345-42592-8
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1998
Less a sequel than an addendum, the book offers a close-up view of the Oval Office in its darkest hour.
Four decades after Watergate shook America, journalist Woodward (The Price of Politics, 2012, etc.) returns to the scandal to profile Alexander Butterfield, the Richard Nixon aide who revealed the existence of the Oval Office tapes and effectively toppled the presidency.
Of all the candidates to work in the White House, Butterfield was a bizarre choice. He was an Air Force colonel and wanted to serve in Vietnam. By happenstance, his colleague H.R. Haldeman helped Butterfield land a job in the Nixon administration. For three years, Butterfield worked closely with the president, taking on high-level tasks and even supervising the installation of Nixon’s infamous recording system. The writing here is pure Woodward: a visual, dialogue-heavy, blow-by-blow account of Butterfield’s tenure. The author uses his long interviews with Butterfield to re-create detailed scenes, which reveal the petty power plays of America’s most powerful men. Yet the book is a surprisingly funny read. Butterfield is passive, sensitive, and dutiful, the very opposite of Nixon, who lets loose a constant stream of curses, insults, and nonsensical bluster. Years later, Butterfield seems conflicted about his role in such an eccentric presidency. “I’m not trying to be a Boy Scout and tell you I did it because it was the right thing to do,” Butterfield concedes. It is curious to see Woodward revisit an affair that now feels distantly historical, but the author does his best to make the story feel urgent and suspenseful. When Butterfield admitted to the Senate Select Committee that he knew about the listening devices, he felt its significance. “It seemed to Butterfield there was absolute silence and no one moved,” writes Woodward. “They were still and quiet as if they were witnessing a hinge of history slowly swinging open….It was as if a bare 10,000 volt cable was running through the room, and suddenly everyone touched it at once.”
Less a sequel than an addendum, the book offers a close-up view of the Oval Office in its darkest hour.Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-5011-1644-5
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 20, 2015
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