Goth: Identity, Style and Subculture

by Paul Hodkinson

Book Overview

Goths represent one of the most arresting, distinctive and enduring subcultures of recent times. The dedication of those involved to a lifestyle which, from the outside, may appear dark and sinister,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 185973605X
• ISBN13: 9781859736050
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Berg 3pl
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Intelligent approach

The first chapter may seem bland, but they are well written and very intelligent. The explaination of subculture vs. lifestyle or tribal is informative and supported quite well. Well researched and impressive book. But keep in mind this data is taken from Goths from England, not the US, so some might not be able to follow in the interveiws.

Read with an open mind

I rated this book so high because in my opinion the author did an exellent job at explaining different sides of goth culture.There is much more to goth culture than clothing and music and hopefully those that read this will see that it is a lifestyle that is not chosen but rather born and developed into reguardless of wether one chooses to label oneself.It is a beautiful way of viewing the world.

Informative, clearly written, essential.

This is a good book to start with for those who'd like to get to the heart of Goth, its basic origins, the basic meaning of the style of dress, manners, code of ethics, culture, and so forth.It should be remembered, however, that since this books details the original background of Goth, it is focused primarily on the U.K., so if you're expecting an Americanised version of Goth, you're in no such luck here.All in all, a good, informative book to start out with that is written in a clear, precise style. After this, you can say you have learned the very rudimentary meaning of Goth, and all that it entails, which is important, I think, to know, especially if you're musically inclined to the Gothic movement or culture in any way, shape, or form.

Mick Mercer is the man!!

if Mick says its good, then I will indeed pick up this lovely book "Hey Mick! love your books!" anyway Mr. Mercer was right, people just don't understand how goth is simply apart of our everyday lives. In our soggy Count Chocula breakfest cereals, To some who are even obsessed as to declair that simply, "Everyday is Halloween!" Myself being one of them. also,...another good book to pick up is 'Gothic: four hundred years of excess, horror, evil and ruin' by Richard Davenport-Hines. It's a good book that explains our gothic history. Oh!, and also pick up '21st century Goth' by the awsome and funny author Mick Mercer.(hah! the hook ups!)

A great book - but not Goth For Dummies

Given that there is so much about Goth that some people don't appreciate, and a high proportion of that is explained here, you should find the temptation to buy this hard to ignore, so go for it. Although it is an academic work, it isn't the work of a verbal diarrhoea expert, but a sensible Goth who has a weighty task to complete.From the academic perspective Paul Hodkinson attempts to disprove post-modern claims that media and commerce break down substantive cultural groupings. It covers UK Goth from the mid to late 90's, concentrating on the Birmingham, Plymouth and Leeds area, where 72 interviews were conducted, with over a hundred people completing a Whitby questionnaire.Although an insider, he has the ability to stand back, and show an overview. As well as examining what Goth means to participants of the scene, Paul asks how strong the sense of the individual is, how consumerism is demonstrated, and the negative or positive aspects involved. He establishes the sense of belonging, as well as the contradiction of open-mindedness set against the occasional feelings of superiority. He covers many areas including shared identity and the chosen elements to Subcultures (Identity, Commitment, Consistent distinctiveness, Autonomy) and the emergence and development of Style, as well as online community. It isn't warts and all, but there are a few minor skin rashes, as he gets interesting responses/admissions from people in his study.He may often write in a way which anyone hoping for a jolly read will not find easy, but anyone seeking some depth with find their faith amply rewarded. He examines the substance, so if you're interested in more than the surface this will be of great interest.