In the 90s, a group of influential writers embraced a subversive aesthetic known as avant-pop, utilizing the rich tapestry of our information-saturated culture—drawing from cartoons, films, music videos, advertising, and rock music. These thirty-two works probe the metaphorical depths of pop cultural imagery, revealing themes of overstimulation and hyper-consumption in American life, while also addressing issues of personality and identity. This collection represents a stylistically experimental approach to literature, reflecting the complexities of the twenty-first century. The contents include an introduction by Larry McCaffery and a diverse array of short stories from notable authors such as Steve Katz, Rikki Ducornet, and William T. Vollmann, among others. Each piece offers a unique perspective, from explorations of identity in "The Exorcist" to the surreal narratives in "Moonlight Whoopie Cushion Sonata." Other contributions, like "Victims of Mass Imagination" and "Heavy Weather," further illustrate the provocative nature of this literary movement. The anthology captures the zeitgeist of an era marked by rapid cultural shifts and invites readers to critically engage with the complexities of contemporary life.
