Steampunk FAQ


Book Description

(FAQ). "What is steampunk?" Going beyond the standard default definitions of "Victorian science fiction," "yesterday's tomorrow today," or some other equally vague or limited description, Steampunk FAQ provides a historical exploration of its literary and cinematic origins. The journey begins with a look at steampunk's genesis in the novels and short stories of three Californians who hung out a lot with Philip K. Dick, before moving on to the inspirations and antecedents of steampunk. Contrary to what many articles and books say, steampunk's direct inspiration is arguably far more cinematic than literary, a likely reaction to the many film adaptations, pastiches, and knockoffs of the scientific romances of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. While Verne, Wells, and a host of other Victorian and Edwardian writers have influenced steampunk fiction, cinematic elements from films such as Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and George Pal's Time Machine (1960) show up more often as immediate influences on the style we call steampunk. In offering a celebration of steampunk's style and cultural aesthetic, Steampunk FAQ also explores its connection to cyberpunk, the world of fashion, comics, and culture around the world.




A Steampunk's Guide to Sex


Book Description

From the great minds who brought you A Steampunk's Guide to the Apocalypse now comes A Steampunk's Guide to Sex. Your guide to the sexy side of steampunk, covering everything from kinky Victorian sexuality to contemporary subcultural sex. Covers such hot topics as erotica, sex work, burlesque, BDSM, alternative sexualities, consent, sexual health, sex devices, and historical attitudes on sex; plus how-to guides on DIY floggers, steam-powered vibrators, Victorian aphrodisiacs, and more! Profusely illustrated with steampunk erotic diagrams, illustrations, and tintypes!




The Steampunk User's Manual


Book Description

This comprehensive guide to Steampunk creations of all kinds offers inspiration and practical tips for bringing your own retro-futuristic visions to life. Whether you’re a newbie to the world of Steampunk, or a long-time enthusiast of airships, goggles, and mad scientists, The Steampunk User’s Manual is essential reading. The popular subgenre of science fiction has grown into a cultural movement; one that invites fans to let their imaginations go wild. In this volume, Jeff VanderMeer—the renowned expert in all things Steampunk—presents a practical and inspirational guidance for finding your own path into this realm. Including sections on art, fashion, architecture, crafts, music, performance, and storytelling, The Steampunk User's Manual provides a conceptual how-to guide on everything from the utterly doable to the completely over-the-top.




Earth Abides


Book Description




A Steampunk's Guide to the Apocalypse


Book Description

A courageous future lies ahead of us. We wave goodbye, on no uncertain terms, to the invisible workings of the cyberian world. Our future lies in an honest technology, a technology that is within our reach, a technology that will not abandon us, a technology that requires not the dark oils of subterranean caverns. Consider this book to be your boon companion during the trying times that lie ahead. No single tome--no matter how voluminous--could be complete, of course, but this little handbook should aid in keeping you fed, watered, clothed, and protected from the myriad hazards of weather, human, and beast.




Quantum Steampunk


Book Description

"The science-fiction genre known as steampunk juxtaposes futuristic technologies with Victorian settings. This fantasy is becoming reality at the intersection of two scientific fields-twenty-first-century quantum physics and nineteenth-century thermodynamics, or the study of energy-in a discipline known as quantum steampunk"--




The Machine Anxieties of Steampunk


Book Description

What is steampunk and why are people across the globe eagerly embracing its neo-Victorian aesthetic? Old-fashioned eye goggles, lace corsets, leather vests, brass gears and gadgets, mechanical clocks, the look appears across popular culture, in movies, art, fashion, and literature. But steampunk is both an aesthetic program and a way-of-life and its underlying philosophy is the key to its broad appeal. Steampunk champions a new autonomy for the individual caught up in today's technology-driven society. It expresses optimism for the future but it also delivers a note of caution about our human role in a world of ever more ubiquitous and powerful machines. Thus, despite adopting an aesthetic and lifestyle straight out of the Victorian scientific romance, steampunk addresses significant 21st-century concerns about what lies ahead for humankind. The movement recovers autonomy from prevailing trends even as it challenges us to ask what it is to be human today.




Insider's Guide to Steampunk Fashion


Book Description

The gateway to the intoxicating experience of the subculture, steampunk fashion has an element of interest for almost everyone, whether they're a history buff, craft creator, or giddy free spirit. Though it sprawls across literature, music, art, film, and more, steampunk - a sort of retro-futuristic Victorian fantasyland - is a movement most easily recognizable, especially for those unfamiliar with it, by its fashion. Now that the subculture is chugging full steam ahead onto the radar of the general public, it's important to remember and embrace the depth behind steampunk style; we can't have the whole aesthetic become irrigated by canals of triteness, after all. But if steampunk style is more than just goggles and gears, what is it?




Rush FAQ


Book Description

Rush FAQ documents the amazing story of the world's greatest Canadian prog rock power trio, from its origins in a church basement in Willowdale, Ontario, to its induction ceremony at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Covering 40 albums, 10 DVDs, thousands of mesmerizing live shows, and millions of rock's most loyal fans, the story of Rush is as epic and unique as its music. Rush has been maligned by the press for decades, and misunderstood by a legion of mainstream rock fans and rock glitterati. And yet only the Beatles and Rolling Stones have earned more gold and platinum records. Few artists, if any, have been as influential as Rush's three virtuoso – bassist-keyboardist-vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer-lyricist Neil Peart. Rush's focus has always been about its muse and its music. As such, Rush FAQ studies the evolution of the band's sound, from the early days of Zeppelin-esque blues-rock to complex, synth-laden opuses to the return of concept-album bombast with the critically acclaimed Clockwork Angels. With wit, humor, and authority, music industry veteran and unabashed Rush geek Max Mobley examines the music, gear, personalities, and trials and tribulations of one of rock and roll's truly legendary acts. It is a story Rush fans will treasure and rock and roll fans will admire.




How to Draw Steampunk


Book Description

Discover the secrets to drawing, painting and illustrating the curious world of science fiction in the Victorian Age.




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