Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #139: Halloween by David J. Skal


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.  

This week the book that I am waiting on is Halloween: The History of America's Darkest Holiday by David J. Skal. 

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Acclaimed cultural critic David J. Skal explores one of America's most perplexedly popular holidays in this original mix of personal anecdotes and social analysis. Skal traces Halloween's evolution from its dark Celtic history and quaint, small-scale celebrations to its emergence as mammoth seasonal marketing event.
Skal takes readers on a cross-country survey that covers remarkably divergent perspectives, from the merchants who welcome a money-making opportunity that's second only to Christmas to fundamentalists who decry Halloween a form of blasphemy and practicing witches who embrace it as a holy day. He also profiles individuals who revel in this once-a-year occasion to participate in elaborate fantasies. Their narratives, combined with the author's cultural analysis, offer a revealing look at an intriguing aspect of our national psyche.


Why am I waiting on this book? I love Halloween. I am curious to see what he has to say about it.  According to the Boston Globe, It's "Entertaining … and scholarly … Like a bag of Halloween candy, the book is a lot of fun."

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever-growing TBR lists. 

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