A Galaxy Not So Far Away

Writers and Artists on Twenty-five Years of Star Wars

Edited and with an Introduction by Glenn Kenny

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A dazzling collection of original essays by some of America's most notable young writers on the cultural impact of the Star Wars films

A Galaxy Not So Far Away is the first ever exploration of the innumerable ways the Star Wars films have forever altered our cultural and artistic landscape. Edited by Glenn Kenny, a senior editor and critic at Premiere magazine, this singular collection allows some of the nation's most acclaimed writers to anatomize, criticize, celebrate, and sometimes simply riff on the prismatic aftereffects of an unparalleled American phenomenon. Jonathan Lethem writes of the summer he saw Star Wars twenty-one times as his mother lay dying of cancer. Neal Pollack chips in with the putative memoir of a certain young man having problems with his father, written in the voice of Holden Caulfield. Erika Krouse ponders the code of the Jedi Knight and its relation to her own pursuit of the martial arts. New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell meditates upon the mysterious figure Lando Calrissian.

A classic assemblage of pop writing at its best, A Galaxy Not So Far Away is a book for everyone who loves Star Wars films and seeks to understand just what it is about these films that has so enchanted an entire generation of filmgoers.

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Praise for A Galaxy Not So Far Away

"'May the Force be with you' has been the mantra of Star Wars fans for a quarter century. In honor of Star Wars' silver anniversary, 16 novelists, journalists, filmmakers, and critics offer personal reminiscences. Like the Force itself, there is a light and a dark side to these essays ranging from The Onion scribe Todd Hanson's hilarious yet adroit defense of The Phantom Menace to Lydia Millet's use of Darth Vader as a metaphor for the loss of humanity . . . this is very entertaining and Star Wars fans will love it."—Booklist

"The mention of Star Wars inspires fervor among many writers. For some, their viewing of the films was life-changing. Premiere magazine editor Glen Kenny gathers essays that explore various takes on Star Wars from hip-hop activists, novelists, critics, and others."—Publishers Weekly

"An amusing stew of Vader views and Tatooine dreams offered by figures ranging from hip-hop activist Harry Allen to humorist Joe Queenan"—Variety

Reviews from Goodreads

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Kim  rated it  
Nov 17, 2007
lots of fun, even if you're not a star wars freak. ...more
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Jesse  rated it  
May 26, 2009
The different essays in this book were hit or miss for me. I either found them really interesting or I was bored to tears. ...more
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About the Author

Edited and with an Introduction by Glenn Kenny

Glenn Kenny is a senior editor and chief film critic for Premiere magazine. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Glenn Kenny

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Available Formats and Book Details

A Galaxy Not So Far Away
Writers and Artists on Twenty-five Years of Star Wars
Edited and with an Introduction by Glenn Kenny

Trade Paperback

Trade Paperback
Henry Holt and Co.
Holt Paperbacks
September 2002
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9780805070743
ISBN10: 0805070745
6 1/8 x 9 1/4 inches, 256 pages
$15.00
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