Wow! eBook
The Advanced Genius Theory: Are They Out of Their Minds or Ahead of Their Time?
Author(s): Jason Hartley (Author), Chuck Klosterman (Foreword)
- Publisher: Scribner
- Publication Date: May 18, 2010
- Edition: 1st
- Language: English
- Print length: 288 pages
- ISBN-10: 1439102368
- ISBN-13: 9781439102367
Book Description
The Advanced Genius Theory, hatched by Jason Hartley and Britt Bergman over pizza, began as a means to explain why icons such as Lou Reed, David Bowie, and Sting seem to go from artistic brilliance in their early careers to “losing it” as they grow older. The Theory proposes that they don’t actually lose it, but rather, their work simply advances beyond our comprehension. The ramifications and departures of this argument are limitless, and so are the examples worth considering, such as George Lucas’s Jar Jar Binks, Stanley Kubrick’s fascination with coffee commercials, and the last few decades of Paul McCartney’s career. With equal doses of humor and philosophy, theorist Jason Hartley examines music, literature, sports, politics, and the very meaning of taste, presenting an entirely new way to appreciate the pop culture we love . . . and sometimes think we hate.
The Advanced Genius Theory is a manifesto that takes on the least understood work by the most celebrated figures of our time.Editorial Reviews
Review
“Advancement scholars do not foster a spirit of inquiry. It’s really just a way for Advancement proponents to appreciate shitty music by people they consider to be nonshitty. It allows you to engage with Lou Reed’s music from the 1980s, but not the Hooters or the Outfield [not true! I love ‘And We Danced.’–JH]. This entire theory is shackled by a Heisenbergian principle of self-consciousness.” —Rob Sheffield
“Hartley gently advances his “Advanced Genius Theory” with rigor, enthusiasm, and a game sense of (re-)discovery. Eschewing the snide critical distance that many fans take for granted, Hartley gives the artist in question the benefit of the doubt.”–
Publishers WeeklyAbout the Author
Chuck Klosterman is the bestselling author of ten nonfiction books (including
The Nineties; Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs; and But What If We’re Wrong?), two novels (Downtown Owl and The Visible Man), and the short story collection Raised in Captivity. He has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Esquire, Spin, The Guardian, The Believer, and ESPN. Klosterman served as the Ethicist for The New York Times Magazine and was an original founder of the website Grantland with Bill Simmons. He was raised in rural North Dakota and now lives in Portland, Oregon.
