{"title":"Joel P. Christensen","description":"\u003cp\u003eJoel P. Christensen's work delves into the rich intersections of storytelling and cultural experience, inviting readers to explore the ways narratives shape our understanding of the world around us. His writing blends thoughtful analysis with engaging prose, making complex ideas accessible and compelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders interested in the arts and cultural studies will find Christensen's books to be a thoughtful journey through the power of story in human life, illuminating both personal and collective dimensions. His work offers a fresh perspective on how stories influence identity, memory, and creativity.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"storylife-by-joel-p-christensen-9780300269239","title":"Storylife","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Homer's epics to mainstream news, stories have lives of their own—and humans may not always control the narratives we create.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCombining ancient epic and myth with analogies from biology and the natural world, Joel P. Christensen explores the creative process and how narratives develop. This bold work urges readers to treat narratives as living things with their own agency in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChristensen starts by using Homeric epic to explore the way language and meaning develop alongside audiences in complex ecosystems and then moves through storytelling in the ancient Mediterranean over a thousand years. In this study, which ranges from the evolution of narratives to viral ideas, and to the dangerous side of stories in mass shootings and war, we see how narratives function as independent entities with consequences that cause lasting harm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConnecting his argument to the present day, Christensen addresses contemporary cultural panics, including AI and ChatGPT, \"post-truth\" or alt-facts in the digital age, and free speech and cancel culture. \u003cem\u003eStorylife\u003c\/em\u003e invites readers to rethink human creativity, the importance of collective actions, and the lives we build together with and against narrative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn an age rife with misinformation, it is time to reconsider how much control we have over stories and how to educate ourselves once we acknowledge the power that narrative exerts over us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47432661106924,"sku":"9780300269239","price":47.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780300269239.jpg?v=1774556767"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/joel-p-christensen.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}