The world according to Star Wars

Title:

Author:

Sunstein, Cass R., author.

ISBN:

9780062484222

Edition:

First edition.

Publication Information:

New York : Dey Street Books, 2016.

Physical Description:

223 pages ; 20 cm

Bibliography note:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents:

Introduction: Learning from Star Wars -- I am your father : the heroic journey of George Lucas -- The movie no one liked : an expected flop becomes the defining work of our time -- Secrets of success : was Star Wars awesome, well-timed, or just very lucky? -- Thirteen ways of looking at Star Wars : of Christianity, Oedipus, politics, economics, and Darth Jar Jar -- Fathers and sons : you can be redeemed, especially if your kid really likes you -- Freedom of choice : it's not about destiny or prophecy -- Rebels : why empires fall, why resistance fighters (and terrorists) rise -- Constitutional episodes : free speech, sex equality, and same-sex marriage as episodes -- The Force and the monomyth : of magic, God, and humanity’s very favorite tale -- Our myth, ourselves : why Star Wars gets to us.

Summary:

A deeply original celebration of George Lucas's masterpiece as it relates to history, presidential politics, law, economics, fatherhood, and culture by Harvard legal scholar and former White House regulatory czar.--

Subject:

Star Wars films -- Miscellanea.

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Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Call Number	Status
Searching... Dorchester - Summerville Branch	Book	30018004863367	791.4375 SUN	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Harvin-Clarendon - Library	Book	208091000704556	791.43 SU	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Lancaster - Lancaster Branch	Book	30553103285070	791.43 SUN	Searching... Unknown
Searching... York - Rock Hill Branch	Book	33205011429400	791.4375 SUNSTEIN	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

"Irresistibly charming, acclaimed legal scholar Sunstein writes partly as a rigorous academic and partly as a helpless fanboy as he explores our fascination with Star Wars and what the series can teach us about the law, behavioral economics, history, and even fatherhood. This book is fun, brilliant, and deeply original."--Lee Child

The New York Times and Washington Post bestseller, fully revised and updated.

There's Santa Claus, Shakespeare, Mickey Mouse, the Bible, and then there's Star Wars. Nothing quite compares to sitting down with a young child and hearing the sound of John Williams's score as those beloved golden letters fill the screen. In this fun, erudite, and often moving book, Cass R. Sunstein explores the lessons of Star Wars as they relate to childhood, fathers, the Dark Side, rebellion, and redemption. As it turns out, Star Wars also has a lot to teach us about constitutional law, economics, and political uprisings.

In rich detail, Sunstein tells the story of the films' wildly unanticipated success and explores why some things succeed while others fail. Ultimately, Sunstein argues, Star Wars is about freedom of choice and our never-ending ability to make the right decision when the chips are down. Written with buoyant prose and considerable heart, The World According to Star Wars shines a bright new light on the most beloved story of our time.

Reviews (2)

Kirkus Review

An exploration of how Star Wars "illuminates childhood, the complicated relationship between good and evil, rebellions, political change, and constitutional law."Sunstein (Conspiracy Theories and Other Dangerous Ideas, 2014, etc.) is a Harvard law professor and has served as an adviser to President Barack Obama; he is also a Star Wars fanatic. The author offers close readings of the movies, script decisions, their novelizations, and the fan fiction inspired by them, and he inflates it all to mythmaking worthy of Joseph Campbell's scrutiny. "In all of human history, there's never been a phenomenon like Star Wars," writes Sunstein. "Fueled by social media, the whole series has a cult-like following, except that the cult is so large that it transcends the term. It's humanity, just about." Even for those few who lie outside that "just about," this analysis engages with its broader themes about fathers and sons, timeliness and timelessness, destiny and free will, tradition and rebellion, God(s) and mankind. Though the author shows some academic rigor he largely avoids scholarly jargon except for the occasional "Let's try to unpack it." Sunstein is plainly writing for those who are equally invested in Star Wars and who want to learn more about how the franchise came about, why no one envisioned the scope and scale of its success, why it spoke specifically to its times and has continued to resonate, and how it encompasses spiritual, political, and psychological dimensions. What began as something of a homage to Flash Gordon has become, in the author's eyes, a text through which we can decode all the issues of the modern world. "Here are thirteen ways of looking at Star Wars," he writes. "Most of them have plausible sources in the movies. A few of them are nuts but still smartwhich makes them especially interesting." Certainly odd but also smart and interesting. For any student who wants to write a term paper on Star Wars, this book could serve as a rich resource. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Library Journal Review

Author, political adviser, and law professor (Robert Walmsley Univ. Prof., Harvard Univ.) Sunstein's very accessible new title talks about the history of Star Wars, including how director/creator George Lucas conceived of the idea and what his inspirations were. It's fascinating to read the author's theories of how the series became the phenomenon that it is today, because it was not perceived as a blockbuster when the first movies were released. The book also delves into the various themes of Star Wars-fathers and sons, the hero's journey, rebellion, and freedom of choice. Of course, the mythology invites speculation as well. What is the force? Is Star Wars political? Are there religious themes in the films? Is there feminism? The magic of the movies lies in how they connect different generations, and that love is joyfully celebrated here. Verdict Recommended for those who love reading about Star Wars, George Lucas, sf movies, and stories about the entertainment industry.-Sally Bryant, Pepperdine Univ. Lib., Malibu, CA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Preface	p. xi
Introduction: Learning From Star Wars	p. 1
Episode I I Am Your Father: The Heroic Journey of George Lucas	p. 9
Episode II The Movie No One Liked: An Expected Flop Becomes the Defining Work of Our Time	p. 31
Episode III Secrets of Success: Was Star Wars Awesome, Well-Timed, or Just Very Lucky?	p. 39
Episode IV Thirteen Ways of Looking at Star Wars: Of Christianity, Oedipus, Politics, Economics, and Darth Jar Jar	p. 65
Episode V Fathers and Sons: You Can Be Redeemed, Especially If Your Kid Really Likes You	p. 91
Episode VI Freedom of Choice: It's Not About Destiny or Prophecy	p. 103
Episode VII Rebels: Why Empires Fall, Why Resistance Fighters (and Terrorists) Rise	p. 113
Episode VIII Constitutional Episodes: Free Speech, Sex Equality, and Same-Sex Marriage as Episodes	p. 145
Episode IX The Force and the Monomyth: Of Magic, God, and Humanity's Very Favorite Tale	p. 161
Episode X Our Myth, Ourselves: Why Star Wars Gets to Us	p. 177
Bibliographical Note	p. 181
Acknowledgments	p. 183
Notes	p. 187
Index	p. 207

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Reviews (2)

Kirkus Review

Library Journal Review

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