Publisher, HighBridge Audio (October 2004)

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As entertaining, insightful, and thought-provoking as the show that inspired it, an examination of The Simpsons as an illustration—and inspiration—of America today.

In one memorable The Simpsons moment, Homer laughs hysterically at a standup comic, pausing only to gasp, "It's true—we're so lame!" In a sense, that author Chris Turner's main thesis: Over the last fifteen years, The Simpsons has chronicled the absurdities and the defining events of an increasingly confusing culture. At the same time, Turner suggests, the show has transcended being just a cartoon and has had a profound and lasting influence, defining attitudes toward everything from pop culture to global politics.

This extremely funny examination of the 18-time Emmy-winning show uses individual characters to define different facets of the American personality: Home is the slightly doltish but well-meaning everyman; Lisa speaks as the show's social conscience; Bart is the punk icon; Marge the moral authority; and C. Montgomery Burns represents the evil of unchecked capitalism. The ensemble provides a framework for identifying, through ruthless parody and subversive wit, the wrongs of our time. By Turner's analysis, the popularity of the show illustrates a generation's cynicism, restlessness, and ultimately, optimism and love of humanity.

About the Author: Chris Turner has been awarded six National Magazine Awards for his pop culture and technology reporting essays for Shift magazine, as well as the President's Medal for General Excellence in 2001, the highest honor in Canadian magazine writing. He is also a regular contributor to Time and The Globe and Mail. Turner lives in Alberta.