Dead Girls

Alice Bolin's debut collection of poignant, insightful essays deftly blends the personal and political in its exploration of American culture through the lens of our society's obsession with dead women. Injecting a healthy dose of humor into her analysis, she shines a critical eye on literature and pop culture, the way media consumption reflects American society, and her own place within it. From her essays on Joan Didion and James Baldwin to Twin Peaks, Britney Spears, and Serial, she illuminates our widespread fascination with women who are abused, killed, and disenfranchised—and whose bodies (dead and alive) are used as props to bolster a man's story. From chronicling life in Los Angeles to exploring the "Dead Girl Show" to analyzing literary witches and werewolves, this collection challenges the narratives we create and tell ourselves.