The joy of sets: a short history of the television

Television, reveals cultural historian Horrocks in this compact chronicle, has tangled roots. . . . Along with sets, from Baird's 1928 'Noah's Ark' televisor to today's ultra-thin screens, Horrocks examines the technology's military uses, the ethical furor over content, and its uses as a symbol in art, film, and literature. --Barbara Kiser Nature Horrocks offers a glimpse into how television sets developed from the meeting between technology and culture, becoming both familiar and alien objects in our lives. He asks that we look more closely at them and, in doing so, see them afresh. At a juncture when the future of the television set is being called into question with the arrival of smaller, portable screens, this is a timely contribution. Dotted with interesting vignettes, The Joy of Sets is a wide-ranging and well-researched book, which provides an unconventional perspective on TV. --Times Higher Education