Readings and Resources

Readings

Required Texts: Academic Writers Handbook (with subscription to My Comp Lab) - Leonard J. Rosen (Buy this text online here. You will need to purchase the text, set up an account and then join the course. To Purchase the Course Handbook and Access to My CompLab:

1. Under "Register or Buy Access" click on "Students".
2. Click on "I need to buy access"
3. Click on "E-Book Version"
4. Choose: Rosen "The Academic Writer's Handbook, 2/e"
5. Create a Login Name and password for yourself.
6. Complete your purchase.

After you have purchased access you will need to join the course.

1. Login in at the main page - www.mycomplab.com
2. Click on "Join Your Instructor's Course" (the course name is "Celebrity, Fame and Fandom - Fall 2010") and then "Continue"
3. When prompted enter the Course ID: larsen111108C


4. You will then see a welcome screen.

(Note: you can access a video tutorial on how to buy and register for MyCompLab here.)

Recommended Text:

  • They Say, I Say - Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein

    In addition to these texts you will periodically be assigned readings that will be uploaded to Blackboard and linked to the Schedule.

    Resources

    Following is a list of sources you *may* want to consider when you begin to think about fame and celebrity in modern culture. This is merely meant to get you started and is by no means an exhaustive list. As the semester unfolds we will collectively be adding to this list.

    Films

  • Celebrity
  • A Star is Born
  • Sunset Boulavard
  • Fame
  • Chicago
  • The Fan
  • Evita
  • The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
  • All About Eve
  • Dicky Roberts - Former Child Star
  • The Wrestler
  • Twentieth Century
  • It Should Happen to You

    Television:

  • Extras
  • Kathy Griffin: My Live on the D-List
  • Entourage
    Music:
  • "Celebrity Skin" - Hole
  • "Beverly Hills" - Weezer
  • "Here's to You" - Rascal Flatts
  • "Sell Out" - Reel Big Fish
  • Filmstar - Suede
  • "Fame" - David Bowie
  • "Larger than Life" - The Backstreet Boys (better version by HIM here)
  • A Fever You Can't Sweat Out - Panic At the Disco
  • Back to the 80's by Aqua, the band that brought you the Barbie Girl song. Interesting take on Pop Culture nostalgia.
  • "Stan" - Eminem
  • "Paparazzi" - Lady Gaga

    Web sites:

  • Metafandom - an LJ community set up to discuss issues relating to fandom as a practice rather than specific fandoms.
  • Fanthropology - another LJ community that examines the actions within fan communities.
  • The Directorium A "a structured, searchable and easily updatable directory of fannish sites".
  • Fanfic and Fancomm Bibliography
  • Celebritology - Liz Kelly

    Suggested Readings:

  • Survivor - Chuck Palahniuk (novel)
  • Six Degress of Separation - John Guare (play)
  • Hank Steuver's Question Celebrity column.
  • The Joy of Looking - Stephen King
  • A Modern Fairy Tale - Stephen King
  • PopWatch - Entertainment Weekly
  • Bottled Celebrity
  • Kid Nation: Grow Up CBS! - Tom Shales

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