{"product_id":"american-diva-extraordinary-unruly-fabulous-hardcover","title":"American Diva: Extraordinary, Unruly, Fabulous - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eDeborah Paredez\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat does it mean to be a \"diva\"? A shifting, increasingly loaded term, it has been used to both deride and celebrate charismatic and unapologetically fierce performers like Aretha Franklin, Divine, and the women of Labelle. In this brilliant, powerful blend of incisive criticism and electric memoir, Deborah Paredez--scholar, cultural critic, and lifelong diva devotee--unravels our enduring fascination with these icons and explores how divas have challenged American ideas about feminism, performance, and freedom.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eAmerican Diva\u003c\/em\u003e journeys into Tina Turner's scintillating performances, Celia Cruz's command of the male-dominated salsa world, the transcendent revival of Jomama Jones after a period of exile, and the unparalleled excellence of Venus and Serena Williams. Recounting how she and her mother endlessly watched Rita Moreno's powerhouse portrayal of Anita in \u003cem\u003eWest Side Story\u003c\/em\u003e and how she learned much about being bigger than life from her fabulous Tía Lucia, Paredez chronicles the celebrated and skilled performers who not only shaped her life but boldly expressed the aspiration for freedom among brown, Black, and gay communities. Paredez also traces the evolution of the diva through the decades, dismayed at the mid-aughts' commodification and juvenilizing of its meaning but finding its lasting beauty and power.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFilled with sharp insights and great heart, \u003cem\u003eAmerican Diva\u003c\/em\u003e is a spirited tribute to the power of performance and the joys of fandom.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 256\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.1 x 9 x 6.3 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 21, 2024\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42698478059616,"sku":"9781324035305","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0598\/1922\/9280\/files\/e2c95dec7d082c5afe1d9047a81d9460.webp?v=1775834295","url":"https:\/\/bijoucc.myshopify.com\/products\/american-diva-extraordinary-unruly-fabulous-hardcover","provider":"CARIBBEAN CONNECT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}