Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
50 used & new from £0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside another edition of this book

Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation (Paperback)

by Chris Turner (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
Price: £5.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £2.00 (25%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 1 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Friday, July 17? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
23 new from £1.13 26 used from £0.01 1 collectible from £19.99
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover Order it used
Paperback (New Ed) Order it used
Unknown Binding Order it used

Frequently Bought Together

Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation + The World According to the Simpsons: What Our Favourite TV Family Says About Life, Love, and the Perfect Donut: What Our Favourite TV Family Says About Life, Love, and the Perfect Donut + The "Simpsons" and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer (Popular Culture and Philosophy)
Price For All Three: £24.87

Show availability and shipping details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The "Simpsons" and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer (Popular Culture and Philosophy)

The "Simpsons" and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer (Popular Culture and Philosophy)

by William Irwin
4.0 out of 5 stars (4)  £9.89
The World According to the Simpsons: What Our Favourite TV Family Says About Life, Love, and the Perfect Donut: What Our Favourite TV Family Says About Life, Love, and the Perfect Donut

The World According to the Simpsons: What Our Favourite TV Family Says About Life, Love, and the Perfect Donut: What Our Favourite TV Family Says About Life, Love, and the Perfect Donut

by Steven Keslowitz
£8.99
Leaving Springfield: The "Simpsons" and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture (Contemporary Film & Television)

Leaving Springfield: The "Simpsons" and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture (Contemporary Film & Television)

by John Alberti
£22.33
D'oh!: The Psychology of "The Simpsons" (Smart Pop Series)

D'oh!: The Psychology of "The Simpsons" (Smart Pop Series)

by Alan Brown
£8.44
The Gospel According to the "Simpsons": The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family (Gospel According To...)

The Gospel According to the "Simpsons": The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family (Gospel According To...)

by Mark Pinsky
4.7 out of 5 stars (7) 
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Ebury Press (4 Aug 2005)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 009190336X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0091903367
  • Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.2 x 3.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 275,022 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #93 in  Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Television > TV Genres > Animation

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
Cartoon Graphics
   iStockphoto.com    Get Amazing Vector Images. Join iStockphoto for Free Today! 
James Reekie Illustration
   www.jamesreekie.co.uk    Contemporary graphic linework New work online now! 
Planet Cartoon
   Ask.com    Search for Planet Cartoon Find Planet cartoon 
  
 

Product Description

Review
'This is a terrifically energetic book which, like its many layered subject, will reward repeat consumption', Guardian .'The world's best TV programme ever', Observer

Product Description
Astute, funny, literate, politically and culturally aware; in this analysis of The Simpsons, Chris Turner, a provocative new writer, dissects the world's favourite TV show - its genesis, past, characters and influence. Bart, Homer and Marge have entered the lexicon of iconic, global characters. Bart has the highest recognition factor amongst kids in the UK & US, way above that of Harry Potter. The British voted it their favourite TV programme ever. The Archbishop of Canterbury called it 'one of the most subtle pieces of propaganda around in the cause of sense, humility and virtue.' Yet The Simpsons is thoroughly subversive and irreverent. Bringing the savvy insight to The Simpsons that has been brought to publishing on global politics, the internet and the fast-food industry, Chris Turner looks at how teh programme is created and the unique two-way relationship of inspiration and influence it has with the real world. From Marge and moral values to Lisa and the environment, from Homer and consumerism to Citizen Burns and corporate villainy - this is the first book to be written that is as intelligent, subversive, wide-ranging and funny as the show itself.

See all Product Description
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation
80% buy the item featured on this page:
Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation 3.3 out of 5 stars (3)
£5.99
The "Simpsons" and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer (Popular Culture and Philosophy)
11% buy
The "Simpsons" and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer (Popular Culture and Philosophy) 4.0 out of 5 stars (4)
£9.89
The World According to the Simpsons: What Our Favourite TV Family Says About Life, Love, and the Perfect Donut: What Our Favourite TV Family Says About Life, Love, and the Perfect Donut
9% buy
The World According to the Simpsons: What Our Favourite TV Family Says About Life, Love, and the Perfect Donut: What Our Favourite TV Family Says About Life, Love, and the Perfect Donut
£8.99
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
5 star:    (0)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.3 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Tries hard, occasionally trying, 16 Oct 2005
By Charles "mrfreedom" (England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)      
This is a very long book - probably too long - that lauds The Simpsons as the greatest TV show we have. The author is sometimes close to labouring this point, especially early on. Indeed, in the whole book there is only one criticism of something in the show. Much of what he writes is interesting stuff, but my complaints would be as follows: it is occasionally self-indulgent; it occasionally goes off the point (this is particularly true in his chapter on the internet, which turns into a commentary on the web's explosion in the 1990s and is a slog to read through); a leftish bias is evident in many places; some of the repeatings of what happens in the show do not translate too well. But there's some decent stuff here, and you do come away from it with more admiration than ever for the makers of the show. If the book had been a little thinner it could have picked up similar plaudits.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Media Studies Thesis: 2:2, 17 April 2006
By A. Miles (Al Khor, Qatar) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
Turner's premise is that 'The Simpsons' has become the main vehicle for countercultural discourse, replacing rock music, independent cinema and political philosophy. It's an interesting idea, I guess, but one which he signally fails to put across well, rambling down various blind alleys and quoting bits of the shows repeatedly and at length: it's like being collared by an enthusiastic drunk in the pub. Turner also likes Nirvana and Radiohead as well as 'The Simpsons' and seems to reason that as he likes them they must therefore all have something in common, and spends many pages tortuously trying to link lyrics from 'Kid A' to the activities of Professor Frink. Overall, the book reads like a (very long) Media Studies thesis written by someone who's not quite as smart as they think they are. It's interesting that the publishers didnt edit this down to something more readable, as there are some worthwhile ideas tucked away.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Best. Cartoon-related book. Ever., 22 Mar 2007
By Mr. Tristan Martin (Cambridge, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation (Paperback)
In writing Planet Simpson, author Chris Turner risked turning himself into The Simpsons' anal Comic Book Guy - with his clipped nasal tones - investing far too much of his time and energy into what is simply a pretty crude cartoon: "Best. Cartoon. Ever." However, what makes The Simpsons different to, say, The Flintstones, it's prehistoric ancestor, is that The Simpsons is (A) hilarious and (B) an acutely observed portrait of a struggling, conflicted and yet in its own way, harmonious, nuclear family, deeply embedded in small town America.

Turner divides his analysis into sections - some look at the archetypal characters, such as (my personal favourite), captain of industry Charles Montgomery Burns and his bootlick, Smithers; the look at Burns will feature his cinematic precedents, such as Citizen Kane and It's a Wonderful Life; then the book might cast its gaze over what Monty might have to say about American-style capitalism ("Get beaten by the Japanese?! What, those sandal-wearing goldfish tenders? Pah!"). Other characters considered in detail include the main Simpson family of course. Naturally, the best section is on Homer, the most irritating is on Lisa.

Planet Simpson also breaks The Simpsons cartoon down into epochs, of which Turner argues there are three: the first is The Early Years, the first couple of series when the cartoon was still finding its feet, the animation was sketchy, voices were different and the humour was broader; the second epoch is The Golden Years, when the cartoon really hit its stride - this lasted until roughly season eight or nine; then we hit the final epoch, which we are still in, as of this writing: The Great Plateau, whereby we find that The Simpsons, whilst still being much funnier than most other sitcoms, is not really breaking any new ground but simply ploughing a well-worn furrow.

Chris Turner has written an audacious book, in Planet Simpson; it mixes one part fanboy celebration, with one part academic thesis and it is of course, peppered with hilarious quotes! Best cartoon ever? Well, I personally prefered Futurama...
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

D'oh!: The Psychology of "The...

D'oh!: The...

Psychologists turn their attention to "The Simpsons", one of America's... Read more
£13.99 £8.44

›Find similar items

 

Beauty without the Beast

Olay Regenerist Daily 3 Point Treatment Cream
From au naturel to party glam, we have all the best names in cosmetics and skincare.

›Discover Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

  

A Close Shave

Philips Nivea Coolskin HS8060 Moisturizing Rotary Shaving System
For all types of hair removal, stay smooth with Amazon.co.uk.

›Discover Shaving & Hair Removal

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates