Overview
Theme parks are a uniquely interactive and enduring form of entertainment that have influenced architecture, technology and culture in surprising ways for more than a century, as Scott Lukas now reveals in his compelling book. Theme Park takes the primitive amusements of pleasure gardens as its starting point and launches from there into a rich, in-depth investigation of the evolution of the theme park over the twentieth century. Lukas examines theme parks in countries around the world including the United States, UK, Europe, Japan, China, South Africa and Australia and how themed fairs and parks developed through diverse means and in a variety of settings. The book examines world-famous and lesser-known parks, including the early parks of Coney Island, a series of World Fairs and their luxurious exhibition halls, Six Flags parks and virtual theme parks today, and, of course, Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Lukas analyses the theme park as a living entity that unexpectedly shapes people, their relationships and the world around them. Ultimately, Theme Park reveals, the wider influence of theme parks can be found in the shopping malls, branded stores and casinos that employ the techniques of amusement parks to dominate our current entertainment world. Packed with captivating illustrations, Theme Park takes us on a historical roller-coaster ride that both reanimates the places that shaped our childhoods and anticipates the future of escapism and fantasy fun.
Full Product Details
Author: Scott A. Lukas
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Dimensions:
Width: 15.60cm
, Height: 2.00cm
, Length: 20.80cm
Weight: 0.590kg
ISBN: 9781861893949
ISBN 10: 1861893949
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 01 November 2008
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Temporarily unavailable
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Reviews
'[An] intriguing and beautifully styled book ... the examples presented of modern theme-park practice make for compelling reading. Theme parks enable international travel without the worry of jet lag; pilgrims can journey to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, where the visitor is greeted with a welcoming Shalom instead of checkpoints for potential suicide bombers.' - Times Higher Education
Author Information
Scott A. Lukas is Department Chair in Anthropology and Sociology at Lake Tahoe College, California, USA. He is also the Editor of The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self (2007).
