Product Description

Grounded in Christian principles, this accessible and engaging book offers an informed and fascinating approach to popular culture. William D. Romanowski provides affectionate yet astute analysis of familiar, well-loved movies and television characters from Indiana Jones to Homer Simpson, and he speaks with historical depth and expertise on films from Casablanca to Crash and music from Bruce Springsteen to U2.

Romanowski's confessional approach affirms a role for popular culture in faithful living. Practical, analytical approaches to content, meaning, and artistic style offer the tools to participate responsibly and imaginatively in popular cultural activities. An engaging read, this new edition introduces students and thoughtful readers to popular culture--one of the most influential forces in contemporary society.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #116235 in Books
• Published on: 2007-02-01
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .97 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Calvin College professor Romanowski writes for the millions of "Christians who drink beer" those who, in tension with evangelical mores, partake of the fruits of popular culture, from Titanic to Bruce Springsteen to ER. His scope is ambitious, including a theologically informed chapter on the nature of culture itself, to treatment of sex, violence and materialism, to a thoughtful exposition of the story structure of the typical Hollywood film. Though he wants to reach a broad audience, readers new to the subject may be put off by Romanowski's sometimes ponderous and often didactic prose, and they will not be helped to explore the subject further by his reliance on numerous unnamed "scholars" and "theorists" who are quoted without accompanying footnotes or bibliography. As the phrase "Christians who drink beer" illustrates, the book is also marred by its tendency to use the word "Christian" to refer to a particular subset of North American Christianity. The focus on big-grossing films and acts sometimes limits Romanowski's obviously fertile mind: a concluding appendix on the movie Titanic has something of the flavor of a college term paper. Still, this book will be an encouragement to evangelicals looking for an alternative to moralistic criticism of popular culture.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Romanowski (communications, Calvin Coll.; Pop Culture Wars) here helps the reader evaluate popular culture from a Christian perspective. He points out that all elements of pop culture reflect the beliefs and assumptions of current society and argues that it is important to consider the products of contemporary culture objectively and rationally, neither mindlessly rejecting nor na?vely accepting them. The book includes a thought-provoking examination of the Hollywood mythology that still permeates our culture and the cumulative effect of unrealistic approaches to complex problems of life. Nonetheless, pop culture can often provide a useful starting point for dialog. Romanowski feels that good popular art, effectively examined, is often more useful for Christian discussion than much self-consciously religious material. In support of his argument, he provides a good list of questions to apply to such analysis. A good book of its type; for public libraries. C. Robert Nixon, M.L.S., Lafayette, IN
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover
In Eyes Wide Open, William Romanowski offers a fascinating, easy-to-read guide for interpreting and evaluating popular culture as a Christian. His practical, analytical approaches to movies, music, and television programs provide tools for imaginatively and faithfully engaging the media that now saturate our lives. His illuminating examples range from Titanic to Casablanca, from ER to The Simpsons, and from Bruce Springsteen to Amy Grant. Eyes Wide Open is the road map to popular culture for parents, teenagers, teachers, and pastors.

"A 'must' book for every thinking Christian who is concerned with popular culture." -Steve Brown, president of KeyLife Network and professor, Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando

"A wonderfully caring book. Romanowski is one of the kings of cultural analysis, and all disciples of Jesus should avail themselves of his royal expertise." -Charlie Peacock, recording artist, producer, and author of At the Crossroads: An Insider's Look at Contemporary Christian Music

"Like Bob Briner's Roaring Lambs, Romanowski's Eyes Wide Open is a must for any Christian who is bold enough to engage and understand popular culture." -Lou Carlozo, features writer, The Chicago Tribune

"I love the broad perspective of Eyes Wide Open, especially as a Christian working in the film business. Romanowski challenges us to develop a grid to sift entertainment in light of our Christian worldview." -Ralph Winter, producer, The X-Men and Star Trek VI; executive producer, Planet of the Apes

"Romanowski informs us of ways we can increase our understanding of the world in which we live and thus be aided in the task of addressing our culture in a relevant way." -Tony Campolo, Eastern College

"Thought provoking and true. A must read!" -Barry Landis, vice president/general manager, Atlantic Records

"A lively and much needed Christian perspective on the popular arts-helping the reader to move beyond mindless acquiescence to popular culture on the one hand, and blanket condemnation on the other." -Jeremy Begbie, Ridley Hall, Cambridge, and the University of St. Andrews

"Inspires us to be wholly human and wholly Christian-using our faith, our emotions, and our brains to fully experience movies, music, and television. As a Christian in Hollywood, this book revitalized and legitimized my 'calling' in the entertainment industry." -Brenda Bos, television production manager, Suddenly Susan and Nikki

"An essential resource for the emerging cadre of Christians who desire to engage culture effectively." -Dick Staub, Center for Faith and Culture

William D. Romanowski is professor of communication arts and sciences at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a widely respected speaker on popular culture at churches and conferences. His books include Pop Culture Wars and Dancing in the Dark.