Projections

[This book] provides a thorough overview of the reading, studying, and writing processes in combination with a thematic anthology designed to stimulate discussion, critical thinking, and writing ... Each thematic chapter contains five or six reading selections, including works by writers such as Louise Erdrich, Alice Walker, Barbara Ehrenreich, Richard Rodriguez, Amy Tan, Toni Morrison, Ishmael Reed, Garrison Keilor, Kurt Vonnegut, Umberto Eco, Dave Berry, and Oscar Hijuelos. Essays treat such diverse topics as the changing role of the family in American society, harassment of women in the U.S. military, the contributions made by immigrants, the Macintosh/MS-DOS war, the role of the media in society, body piercing, sports, amusement parks, plastic surgery, the power of television, street musicians, hip-hop, disaster movies, and film noir, among others.-Pref.