Exploring the intersection of humor and tragedy, this memoir recounts the author's experiences with their mother's cancer through a comedic lens. It challenges the taboo surrounding laughter in the face of death and suffering, offering readers a fresh perspective on grief and healing. Celebrated for its wit and honesty, the narrative reveals the relief found in humor during catastrophic times, making it a poignant yet hilarious read. The book has garnered acclaim, being shortlisted for the 2021 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.
With her debut solo album, Gwen Stefani drew inspiration from the street fashions of Tokyo's Harajuku district. The platinum-blonde front-woman of No Doubt surrounded herself with an entourage of four voiceless Asian women, known as her “Harajuku Girls.” These women appeared on her CD cover, were dedicated in a track, performed in her videos, and danced on her live tour. Stefani even renamed them “Love,” “Angel,” “Music,” and “Baby” after her album and clothing line, L.A.M.B. This study explores how the Harajuku Girls serve as Stefani’s human accessories—silent, sexualized, and submissive muses that contrast with her whiteness. It positions Stefani as an intertextual celebrity who appropriates and cross-references cultural texts and ethnicities to create a distinctive identity in music and fashion. Key questions include: How does Stefani's appropriation of Harajuku culture reinforce Orientalist stereotypes of Asian women? In what ways does she utilize this culture to emphasize her whiteness and establish her celebrity brand? How can we compare the transcultural dynamics between Harajuku's appropriation of American culture and Stefani’s? What are the political and cultural implications of her ethnic signifiers? This book targets academic scholars in Communications, media professionals, and popular culture enthusiasts.
