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| Iconic America: A Roller-Coaster Ride through the Eye-Popping Panorama of American Pop Culture | 
 enlarge | Authors: Tommy Hilfiger, George Lois
Publisher: Universe
Category: Book
List Price: $60.00
Buy New: $34.90
You Save: $25.10 (42%)
New (30) Used (16) from $28.97
Avg. Customer Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 67546
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 350
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5
Dimensions (in): 12.3 x 9.2 x 1.5
ISBN: 0789315734
Dewey Decimal Number: 746
EAN: 9780789315731
ASIN: 0789315734
Publication Date: November 6, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new.
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Product Description
What is America? It’s Monopoly and Mickey Mouse, but also Sinatra and Fred Astaire. It’s the Declaration of Independence, but it’s also Barbie and Playboy, Winslow Homer and Rudi Gernreich’s topless bathing suit. This juxtaposition of images reflects America’s unique eclecticism, and the unprecedented influence that the images of America’s pop culture have had on the world. This book works as a great treasury of Americana, and as a mischievously enjoyable observation on all things truly American. Fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger and famous adman George Lois have crafted an enlightening book, searching American history to find over 350 people, symbols, and things of import. Their iconic and iconoclastic choices are entertainingly presented through surprising visual juxtapositions. Inspired by Tommy Hilfiger’s passion for Americana and George Lois’ wit, Iconic America dramatizes the national ethos, and makes us think about who we are and what we stand for, with humor and charm.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 Great Book! December 28, 2007
19 out of 25 found this review helpful
This is a really great book, that takes you on a historical journey through American culture. A real treat!
Symbols of a perfect life April 19, 2008
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Though the cover line refers to `A roller-coaster ride through the eye-popping panorama of American pop culture' the book, fortunately, has a much further reach than just pop. With about four hundred subjects covered and obviously reflecting the hopes and aspirations of the two authors I thought the book was a fine celebration of Americanism.
Firstly though the book is a visual treat. Designer George Lois has handled a whole range of graphic material brilliantly, especially in presenting similar items on the same spread: a photo of James Brown (The godfather of soul) facing Marlon Brando (The godfather of film) or Babe Ruth facing a Baby Ruth candy bar or a spread with a photo of an apple pie (As American as apple pie) and an Apple logo (Apple changes the American lifestyle). Another lovely design touch is running five Burma-Shave signs over five pages (The bearded lady/Tried a jar/She's now a famous/Movie star!/Burma-Shave).
Lois has blended all the personality photos, product shots, logos, paintings, cartoons and display typography together beautifully and the 175dpi printing on quality paper makes everything sparkle. The design treatment did remind of a similar strong visual book covering the same subject 1,001 Reasons to Love America (1,001 Reasons to Love).
I liked the wide-ranging coverage of icons throughout the pages and nicely not necessarily positive ones. Page seventy-one features the Enron logo, page 135 has a cutout photo of a lemon with Edsel printed on it, also included are a few frames from the Zapruder home movie of Kennedy's death likewise a photo of OJ Simpson, in court, trying on a glove.
The book is essentially visual and all of the images get detailed captions, sometimes a hundred words or more. The authors, where needed, provide light hearted headlines as in the housewives' favorite 'Yes, Virginia, there really is no Betty Crocker'. Cesar Chavez gets 'The grapes of wrath' or 'The web of justice' for Spider-Man.
You'll probably have your own icon that is not included, though with four hundred it'll be hard to pin-point something that's missing. All I could come up with is UPS and FedEx, neither are included in the comprehensive index. Maybe the reality is that the strength of America's past and present could easily produce a second volume!
***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.
Great book February 23, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Tommy Hilfiger did a great job capturing what America is. I really enjoy looking through this book.
Ionic America February 25, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book was a gift and the recepient related her joy at the choice I made and is most happy with the book.
Great book February 25, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
While I have not read it cover to cover, from what I've glanced at this is a pretty nice book for those interested in the pop side of American culture. It brings back a ton of memories just looking through the pictures and uncovers a lot of interesting facts for those pictures that don't hold a lot of meaning to you. A definite gift for those that are hard to buy for.
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