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NOW AVAILABLE!
FULLY UPDATED AND REVISED FOR THE FINAL SEASON!
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What do E.T., Dungeons & Dragons, and The Clash have in common?
They all live inside the world of Stranger Things—and the decade that inspired it.
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In Stranger Things and the ’80s: The Show, the Decade, and the World They Remixed, bestselling cultural historian Joseph Vogel dives deep into the series’ creative DNA—its cinematic roots in Spielberg and Stephen King, its neon-soaked soundtracks, its big fashion and pop myths. From Gremlins and The Goonies to A Nightmare on Elm Street and Ghostbusters, from mixtapes and malls to moral panics and mind flayers, this book explores how the Duffers transformed the anxieties and wonder of the 1980s into one of the most original stories of our time.
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Rich with insight, packed with Easter eggs, and pulsing with synth-fueled nostalgia, this is the essential companion for anyone who’s ever felt the thrill—and the terror—of the Upside Down.​
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“A must-have for any fan of Stranger Things.”
-Heroic Hollywood
OTHER BOOKS
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ARTICLES
Depression, Tech Fatigue, and What I Found in the Mountains of Utah, MEDIUM, May 29, 2023
What Music Will Be Featured in Season 3 of Stranger Things? FORBES, October 15, 2018.
The Forgotten Baldwin, BOSTON REVIEW, May 14, 2018.
Was Prince's Androgyny About Identity or Branding?, FORBES, May 6, 2018.
Black or White: How Dangerous Kicked Off Michael Jackson's Race Paradox, THE GUARDIAN, March 17, 2018.
The Nation Janet Jackson Built, THE ATLANTIC, September 15, 2014.
Is Crowdfunding Changing the Game for Filmmakers: A Q&A With Spike Lee, HUFF POST, October 14, 2013.
BIO
JOSEPH VOGEL is a bestselling author, professor, and entrepreneur.
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He holds a PhD from the University of Rochester, and taught in higher education for over a decade, earning tenure in 2021.
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He has published multiple critically-acclaimed books, including Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson (Vintage), This Thing Called Life: Prince, Race, Sex, Religion, and Music (Bloomsbury), and James Baldwin and the 1980s: Witnessing the Reagan Era (University of Illinois Press).
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His work has appeared in The Atlantic, Forbes, The Guardian, Slate, and the Boston Review, among other publications. His articles have also been published in a number of peer-reviewed journals, including the James Baldwin Review, the F. Scott Fitzgerald Review, The Journal of Popular Culture, The Journal of American Culture, and the Journal of Popular Music Studies.
Vogel has appeared in dozens of documentaries, including two by legendary filmmaker Spike Lee.
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He is the founder and owner of the outdoor apparel brand, Timpanogos Hiking Co.
PEER-REVIEWED ESSAYS
James Baldwin's Decline of Reputation in the 1980s. JAMES BALDWIN IN CONTEXT. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2019.
The Confessions of Quentin Tarantino: Whitewashing Slave Rebellion. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN CULTURE. MARCH 2018.
"To Crush the Serpent": James, Baldwin, the Religious Right and the Moral Minority. JAMES BALDWIN REVIEW. DECEMBER 2016.
"Civilization is Going to Pieces": The Great Gatsby, Identity and Race, from the Jazz Age, to the Obama Era. F. SCOTT FITZGERALD REVIEW. DECEMBER 2015.
Freaks in the Reagan Era: James Baldwin, the New Pop Cinema and the American Ideal of Manhood. JOURNAL OF POPULAR CULTURE. JUNE 2015.
"I Ain't Scared of No Sheets": Re-screening Black Masculinity in Michael Jackson's Black or White. JOURNAL OF POPULAR MUSIC STUDIES. MARCH 2015.
CONTACT
To book a one-on-one consulting appointment, click here.
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For publishing inquiries, please contact my agent:
helen at zimmagency dot com
For media or other inquiries email me directly at
vogeljo at gmail dot com
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