Tuesday, December 28, 2004

High/Low Brow

One of us wrote a scholarly work targeted at research libraries. Professional Wrestling As Ritual Drama in American Pop Culture by Michael R. Ball is, according to the publisher, the definitive text that "analyzes the phenomenon of American professional wrestling in light of the critical dramaturgy of Erving Goffman, Victor Turner, and the recent works of Mary Jo Deegan, (and) stands alone in offering scholarly explanation and sociological insight..." for the subject.

It is available through the major online bookstores or the publisher. Key IDs are ISBN: 0-88946-112-0, 200 pages, printed in 1990, list $99.95. Edwin Mellen Press has offices in Lewiston, New York and Ceredigion, Wales.

The single reviewer on Amazon was somewhat unkind, calling it "unintentionally funny." He does admire this Michael Ball's scholarship, just claiming the book is outdated.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Micheal R. Ball is my professor at the University of Wisconsion Superior. This guy is possibly the most knowledgable man I have ever met in regards to the intricacies of the social world in which we live. I have not read his (in)famous book (speaking in regards to the the comment on Amazon.com) however; I am sure it is methodologically sound as well as accurate. I beleive that man might have read something that ruined his childhood. I know Dr. Ball as one of the most dedicated, knowlegable, and humorous men in my college career. email me at if you have any questions bkflick@hotmail.com