In the vein of
You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)
and
Black Nerd Problems
, this witty, incisive essay collection from
New York Times
critic at large Maya Phillips explores race, religion, sexuality, and more through the lens of her favorite pop culture fandoms.
From the moment Maya Phillips saw the opening scroll of
Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
, her life changed forever. Her formative years were spent loving not just the Star Wars saga, but superhero cartoons, anime,
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
, Harry Potter, Tolkien, and
Doctor Who
—to name just a few.
As a critic at large at
The New York Times
, Phillips has written extensively on theater, poetry, and the latest blockbusters—with her love of some of the most popular and nerdy fandoms informing her career. Now, she analyzes the mark these beloved intellectual properties leave on young and adult minds, and what they teach us about race, gender expression, religion, and more.
Spanning from the nineties through to today,
Nerd
is a collection of cultural criticism essays through the lens of fandom for everyone from the casual Marvel movie watcher to the hardcore Star Wars expanded universe connoisseur. “In the same way that the fandoms Phillips addresses often provide community and a sense of connection, the experience of reading
feels like making a new friend” (Karen Han, cultural critic and screenwriter).