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Adoration and Pilgrimage
James Dean and Fairmount
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Book Presentation:
Adoration and Pilgrimage is a hands-on study of the James Dean phenomenon that began after his tragic death in 1955 and continues to play out today. The book’s focus is on his fans and particularly the “Deaners,” his most devoted followers. For them, Dean is much more than a celebrity actor, rather a person of inspiration, introspection, desire, and devotion. Extensively researched through personal interviews and examination of the creative works by fans and Deaners, letters, and fan publications, Adoration and Pilgrimage looks closely at Dean’s lasting appeal, inspiration, and significance. For more information go to: https://www.luminarepress.com/authors/james-f-hopgood/
Related topics include:
• Dean as a figure of interest, study, and inspiration among intellectuals, historians, and artists.
• Brief coverage of the history of his fame, its origins, and impact on American culture.
• His contested image among fans, Deaners, and the people of Fairmount as demonstrated by perceived competition between the local history museum and the Dean gallery.
• A close examination of the nature and meaning of being a Deaner.
• The role of artists and photographers in the creation of Dean’s image and, in some cases, his immortalization.
• The role of pilgrimage, particularly in the small Indiana farm town of Fairmount.
• The Dean phenomenon as adoration, a quasi-religious movement, a “cult,” or simply a liminal manifestation.
• The nature of community among serious fans and Deaners.
Press Reviews:
"Anthropologist James F. Hopgood draws on the tools of his trade for this study of James Dean fans, asking why a movie star who completed only three films before dying at age 24 in 1955 has drawn and retained such a loyal following....Fairmount comes across as a kind of pilgrimage site, and Dean's fandom as a quasi-religious movement.....the author keeps the book on firm ground with vivid profilies of individual "Deaners," who variously recount being inspired to pursue acting careers, teach existentialist literature, or join the '50s San Francisco Beat scene. His book is often insightful and sometimes even moving....this book represents an intelligent, worthwhile contribution to understanding celebrity's role as a form of modern myth in all our lives." - A BlueInk Review (Nov. 2022)
"[T]his fascinating project ... [is] a rich, revealing study, utilizing several theoretical frameworks." "A fasinating study of James Dean fandom and fan culture itself." -- Editor's Pick, Booklife (Feb. 13, 2023)
See the complete filmography of James Dean on the website: IMDB ...
> On a related topic:
American Stranger (2018)
Modernisms, Hollywood, and the Cinema of Nicholas Ray
Subject: Director > Nicholas Ray
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