A Friday Night Lights Companion

Called one of the best shows on TV by more than a dozen media publications, including Time and Entertainment Weekly, Friday Night Lights is not just one of the most critically acclaimed shows on air, it's also one of the most watchable. Despite its focus on high school football, its masterfully crafted characters and honestly portrayed relationships make its portrait of small town Texas life compelling and relatable in ways that have nothing to do with field goals or touchdowns. Love, Loss, and Dillon Football: A Friday Night Lights Companion explores the victories and pitfalls of Dillon, Texas – both the town itself and those who live and love there. Because Friday Night Lights is so much more than just a teenage football drama: it's about the struggle to not get trapped in the circumstances one is born into. It's about love, it's about loss, and, yes, it's even about football.

Christopher Bigsby explores the potential of television drama to offer a radical critique of American politics, myths and values.

Remakes are pervasive in today’s popular culture, whether they take the form of reboots, “re-imaginings,” or overly familiar sequels. Television remakes have proven popular with producers and networks interested in building on the nostalgic capital of past successes (or giving a second chance to underused properties). Some TV remakes have been critical and commercial hits, and others haven’t made it past the pilot stage; all have provided valuable material ripe for academic analysis. In Remake Television: Reboot, Re-use, Recycle, edited by Carlen Lavigne, contributors from a variety of backgrounds offer multicultural, multidisciplinary perspectives on remake themes in popular television series, from classic cult favorites such as The Avengers (1961–69) and The X-Files (1993–2002) to current hits like Doctor Who (2005–present) and The Walking Dead (2010–present). Chapters examine what constitutes a remake, and what series changes might tell us about changing historical and cultural contexts—or about the medium of television itself.

This three-volume set is a valuable resource for researching the history of American television. An encyclopedic range of information documents how television forever changed the face of media and continues to be a powerful influence on society. What are the reasons behind enduring popularity of television genres such as police crime dramas, soap operas, sitcoms, and "reality TV"? What impact has television had on the culture and morality of American life? Does television largely emulate and reflect real life and society, or vice versa? How does television's influence differ from that of other media such as newspapers and magazines, radio, movies, and the Internet? These are just a few of the questions explored in the three-volume encyclopedia TV in the USA: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. This expansive set covers television from 1950 to the present day, addressing shows of all genres, well-known programs and short-lived series alike, broadcast on the traditional and cable networks. All three volumes lead off with a keynote essay regarding the technical and historical features of the decade(s) covered. Each entry on a specific show investigates the narrative, themes, and history of the program; provides comprehensive information about when the show started and ended, and why; and identifies the star players, directors, producers, and other key members of the crew of each television production. The set also features essays that explore how a particular program or type of show has influenced or reflected American society, and it includes numerous sidebars packed with interesting data, related information, and additional insights into the subject matter.

Get a sneak peak at Smart Pop's 2012 titles with this preview volume of standalone essays. Volume includes: "Songs Spenser Taught Me" – Ace Atkins From In Pursuit of Spenser: Mystery Writers on Robert B. Parker and the Creation of an American Hero, edited by Otto Penzler "The Palace of Love, The Palace of Sorrow" – Linda Antonsson and Elio M. García, Jr. From Beyond the Wall: Exploring George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, From A Game of Thrones to A Dance with Dragons, edited by James Lowder "Mapping Panem" – V. Arrow From The Panem Companion: An Unofficial Guide to Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games, From Mellark Bakery to Mockingjays "Winning and Losing in Ender's Game" – Hilari Bell From Ender's World: Fresh Perspectives on the SF Classic Ender's Game, edited by Orson Scott Card PLUS bonus chapters from two upcoming BenBella Books titles: "Baleheads Begin" – Harrison Cheung and Nicola Pittam From Christian Bale: The Inside Story of the Darkest Batman "The Right Hand of Vengeance" – Claudia Christian with Morgan Grant Buchanan From Babylon Confidential: A Memoir of Love, Sex, and Addiction

Get a sneak peak at Smart Pop's 2013 titles with this preview volume of standalone essays and exclusive book extras! Volume includes: "Anne McCaffrey, Believer in Us" – David Brin From Dragonwriter: A Tribute to Anne McCaffrey and Pern, edited by Todd McCaffrey Exclusive Extra: "Painting the Dragonwriter Cover" - Michael Whelan Excerpts from "Munchkin: Hollywood" – Liam McIntyre From The Munchkin Book: The Official Companion, edited by James Lowder "Percy Jackson and the Gods of Death" – J&P Voelkel From Demigods and Monsters: Your Favorite Authors on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians, edited by Rick Riordan "Why the Best Friend Never Gets the Girl" - Kami Garcia From Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader, edited by Cassandra Clare "The Price of Our Inheritance" - Neal Shusterman From Ender's World: Fresh Perspectives on the SF Classic Ender's Game, edited by Orson Scott Card Exclusive Extra: Q&A with Orson Scott Card "The Architects of the Rebellion" - V. Arrow From The Panem Companion: An Unofficial Guide to Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games, From Mellark Bakery to Mockingjays Exclusive Extras: "A Grosser Power" – Ned Vizzini "Capitol or Katniss - Who Am I?" - Lili Wilkinson From the special e-book only content for The Girl Who Was on Fire - Movie Edition, edited by Leah Wilson "A Prehistory of Fanfiction" - Anne Jamison From Fic: Why Fanfiction is Taking Over the World Excerpts on Washington Commons, The Foundry, and AndrewAndrew From The Unofficial Girls Guide to New York: Inside the Cafes, Clubs, and Neighborhoods of HBO's Girls

“Full of yearning, ponderances about art and what it means to be an artist, and self-revelation, A Scatter of Light has a simmering intensity that makes it hard to put down."—NPR An Instant New York Times Bestseller Last Night at the Telegraph Club author Malinda Lo returns to the Bay Area with another masterful queer coming-of-age story, this time set against the backdrop of the first major Supreme Court decisions legalizing gay marriage. Aria Tang West was looking forward to a summer on Martha’s Vineyard with her best friends—one last round of sand and sun before college. But after a graduation party goes wrong, Aria’s parents exile her to California to stay with her grandmother, artist Joan West. Aria expects boredom, but what she finds is Steph Nichols, her grandmother’s gardener. Soon, Aria is second-guessing who she is and what she wants to be, and a summer that once seemed lost becomes unforgettable—for Aria, her family, and the working-class queer community Steph introduces her to. It’s the kind of summer that changes a life forever. And almost sixty years after the end of Last Night at the Telegraph Club, A Scatter of Light also offers a glimpse into Lily and Kath’s lives since 1955.

Winner of the Edgar Award for Young Adult Fiction! The other orphans say Margot is lucky. Lucky to survive the horrible accident that killed her family. Lucky to have her own room because she wakes up screaming every night. And finally, lucky to be chosen by a prestigious family to live at their remote country estate. But it wasn't luck that made the Suttons rescue Margot from her bleak existence at the group home. Margot was handpicked to be a companion to their silent, mysterious daughter, Agatha. At first, helping with Agatha--and getting to know her handsome younger brother--seems much better than the group home. But soon, the isolated house begins playing tricks on Margot’s mind, making her question everything she believes about the Suttons . . . and herself. Margot’s bad dreams may have stopped when she came to live with Agatha – but the real nightmare has just begun.