NCJ Number
179185
Date Published
1998
Length
307 pages
Annotation
In this provocative cultural study, the serial killer emerges as a central figure in what the author calls America's wound culture.
Abstract
The wound culture is evident in television talk shows and violent television programs and movies. In particular, serial murder has its place in a public culture in which addictive violence has become a crucial site where private desire and public fantasy cross. The first part of the book traces typical scenes of serial murders and types of persons involved. Subsequent chapters look at the formation of the serial killer as the species of person proper to a mass-mediated public culture, while the next part of the book looks at the evolution of America's fascination with violence. The final part of the book examines the wound culture in relation to trauma, violence, and survival. Notes and figures