Boob Jubilee: The Cultural Politics of the New Economy

by Dave Mulcahey

Book Overview

For a magazine dedicated to debunking the nation's business culture, the final years of the twentieth century overflowed with bounty. "It was the most spectacular outbreak of mass delirium that we are likely to see in our lifetimes," wrote the editors of The Baffler. What was for others the dawn of a "New Economy" was for The Baffler a cornucopia of absurdity the costliest political and financial hustle in living memory. Reporting from places far...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393057771
• ISBN13: 9780393057775
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.0" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Other's have been better

I preferred "Commodify Your Dissent" from these guys. That said, if you haven't read the former then this book may be good for you (or distasteful depending on your politcal slant). I'd recommend the read.

They sky really did fall.

The wit and humor of the writers may be lost on many, their views and ideas old and cynical and their messages falling on deaf ears. Funny thing is, they know this and write anyway. The book consist of article that were written before "the bubble popped" for the new economy. They do criticize our culture and do so without flinching or holding back any idea they might have about where the American Dream is at. I thought the book was great and although some of the writing was done so in a way some might associate with pompous and cynical attitudes, I could not help but listen to their words. They were the canaries in the coal no one listened to, who warned people, judged cultures and ask for something different. I think the book is more of a "I told you so" shot by the editors, I think it is an example that people can see disaster but do nothing to stop it. I recommend this book for anyone who lost money through internet stock, anyone who searches for "real" indie rock bands, for anyone who interested in social issues or anyone simply looking for a good read.

it takes a sick person to laugh out loud

When my husband and I recently moved cross-country, he protested me wanting to keep my old copies of The Baffler. "Come on," he cajoled, "You're never going to read those things again." I read to him aloud from this collection as we were driving to Atlanta last week, so I think my magazines are off the chopping block for awhile. Boob Jubilee contains my all-time favorite Baffler article, "The Intern Economy and the Culture Trust." This is a must-read for all young people considering a career in the media.

A really mixed bag

This book appears to be a collection of someone's (or some committee's) favorite articles from The Baffler, a literary magazine whose main job seems to be poking jabs at our culture. The title certainly doesn't help in determining that as "Boob" itself is such a multi-use word nowadays. Furthermore, many Americans west of the Mississippi have never heard of the New Economy and could care less about about literary criticism.I think the audience for this book is really limited and not consistent with the title or the book cover. However, once you get past the first couple of reallllly dry essays, there are some that are worthy of more attention.

fun, funny, informative

The first two chapters might turn you off, I came close to stopping my reading of the book, but was urged on by friends and it payed off. The first two chapters are rather dense and not so witty, but soon after that this book really takes off. I am not totally 100% on the unifying theme of these essays, they claim to be poking a hole in the idea of the New Economy, but they all add up to more of a poking holes in various aspects of society -- of the "hip" society.The essays tend to have a sense of humor about them as they go about their disections of culture. A few take themselves too seriously, one about the Mississippi river is just bizarre. I don't know that there is anything particularly groundbreaking here, much of the exposed secrets of the New Economy can be summarized "rich man bad, poor man good." You'd think they could be a little more insightful than that. I am not fully with the politics of this book, but I give it its five stars for being quite readable and, in the end, making us think.