Humor And Health In The Media

Download Humor And Health In The Media full books in PDF, epub, and Kindle. Read online Humor And Health In The Media ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. Fast Download speed and no annoying ads. We cannot guarantee that every ebooks is available!

Humor and Health in the Media

Author : Malynnda A. Johnson
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
ISBN 13 : 1040109543
Total Pages : 212 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (41 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Humor and Health in the Media by : Malynnda A. Johnson

Download or read book Humor and Health in the Media written by Malynnda A. Johnson and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-08-05 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examining popular media portrayals of various health topics, this book offers a critical analysis of how those mediated messages can impact, for good or ill, people’s physical and mental health. Looking specifically at how various depictions of health topics have both aided in the normalization of health topics such as neurodiversity and HIV while also critiquing the dissemination of misinformation on these same topics, this book offers insight into the ways in which humorous content can both help and hurt. The author draws on a critical analysis of popular media including shows, social media, and stand-up specials, as well as interviews with those who use humor within health settings, such as Red Nose Docs, comedians who focus on their own health issues. This insightful study will interest scholars and students of health in popular culture as well as health communication, media studies, public health administration, and health policy.

A Comedian and an Activist Walk into a Bar

Author : Caty Borum Chattoo
Publisher : University of California Press
ISBN 13 : 0520299779
Total Pages : 295 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (22 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis A Comedian and an Activist Walk into a Bar by : Caty Borum Chattoo

Download or read book A Comedian and an Activist Walk into a Bar written by Caty Borum Chattoo and published by University of California Press. This book was released on 2020-03-24 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Comedy is a powerful contemporary source of influence and information. In the still-evolving digital era, the opportunity to consume and share comedy has never been as available. And yet, despite its vast cultural imprint, comedy is a little-understood vehicle for serious public engagement in urgent social justice issues – even though humor offers frames of hope and optimism that can encourage participation in social problems. Moreover, in the midst of a merger of entertainment and news in the contemporary information ecology, and a decline in perceptions of trust in government and traditional media institutions, comedy may be a unique force for change in pressing social justice challenges. Comedians who say something serious about the world while they make us laugh are capable of mobilizing the masses, focusing a critical lens on injustices, and injecting hope and optimism into seemingly hopeless problems. By combining communication and social justice frameworks with contemporary comedy examples, authors Caty Borum Chattoo and Lauren Feldman show us how comedy can help to serve as a vehicle of change. Through rich case studies, audience research, and interviews with comedians and social justice leaders and strategists, A Comedian and an Activist Walk Into a Bar: The Serious Role of Comedy in Social Justice explains how comedy – both in the entertainment marketplace and as cultural strategy – can engage audiences with issues such as global poverty, climate change, immigration, and sexual assault, and how activists work with comedy to reach and empower publics in the networked, participatory digital media age.

Anatomy of an Illness As Perceived By the Patient

Author : Norman Cousins
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN 13 : 9780393326840
Total Pages : 196 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (268 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Anatomy of an Illness As Perceived By the Patient by : Norman Cousins

Download or read book Anatomy of an Illness As Perceived By the Patient written by Norman Cousins and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2005-07-12 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of a recovery from a crippling disease and the physician patient partnership that beat the odds by using the patient's own capabilities.

Humor, Seriously

Author : Jennifer Aaker
Publisher : Crown Currency
ISBN 13 : 0593135296
Total Pages : 274 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (931 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Humor, Seriously by : Jennifer Aaker

Download or read book Humor, Seriously written by Jennifer Aaker and published by Crown Currency. This book was released on 2021-02-02 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: WALL STREET JOURNAL, LOS ANGELES TIMES, AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER • Anyone—even you!—can learn how to harness the power of humor in business (and life), based on the popular class at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Don’t miss the authors’ TED Talk, “Why great leaders take humor seriously,” online now. “The ultimate guide to using the magical power of funny as a tool for leadership and a force for good.”—Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When and Drive We are living through a period of unprecedented uncertainty and upheaval in both our personal and professional lives. So it should come as a surprise to exactly no one that trust, human connection, and mental well-being are all on the decline. This may seem like no laughing matter. Yet, the research shows that humor and laughter are among the most valuable tools we have at our disposal for strengthening bonds and relationships, diffusing stress and tension, boosting resilience, and performing when the stakes are high. That’s why Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas teach the popular course Humor: Serious Business at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where they help some of the world’s most hard-driving, blazer-wearing business minds infuse more humor and levity into their work and lives. In Humor, Seriously, they draw on findings by behavioral scientists, world-class comedians, and inspiring business leaders to reveal how humor works and—more important—how you can use more of it, better. Aaker and Bagdonas unpack the theory and application of humor: what makes something funny, how to mine your life for material, and simple ways to identify and leverage your unique humor style. They show how to use humor to rebuild vital connections; appear more confident, competent, and authentic at work; and foster cultures where levity and creativity can thrive. President Dwight David Eisenhower once said, “A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” If Dwight David Eisenhower, the second least naturally funny president (after Franklin Pierce), thought humor was necessary to win wars, build highways, and warn against the military-industrial complex, then you might consider learning it too.

Humor and Information Literacy

Author : Joshua Vossler
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN 13 : 1598845330
Total Pages : 172 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (988 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Humor and Information Literacy by : Joshua Vossler

Download or read book Humor and Information Literacy written by Joshua Vossler and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2011-08-23 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn how to successfully employ practical techniques that infuse information literacy instruction with humor. How can humor be applied by academic librarians to better teach information literacy? And why is humor such an effective teaching tool? This book provides a cross-disciplinary review of the literature regarding use of humor in tertiary education settings, and specifically in library science; explains its effectiveness for capturing and maintaining student attention when covering necessary subjects; and presents the invaluable personal experiences of instruction librarians across North America who regularly use humor in the classroom. Humor and Information Literacy: Practical Techniques for Library Instruction addresses the subject in both a scholarly and a practical manner. The first section of the book contains original multi-disciplinary essays covering humor in the fields of communication theory, education, library science, psychology, and even stand-up comedy. The second section documents practical techniques that practicing librarians use to teach information literacy with humor, accompanied by commentary by the authors.

Humor's Hidden Power

Author : Nichole Force
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780615482842
Total Pages : 152 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (828 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Humor's Hidden Power by : Nichole Force

Download or read book Humor's Hidden Power written by Nichole Force and published by . This book was released on 2011-05-03 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is often said that "laughter is the best medicine," but this aphorism fails to fully express the power inherent in humor. HUMOR'S HIDDEN POWER reveals how humor has empowered people to overcome overwhelming circumstances throughout history, how laughter changes brain chemistry and functioning, how the genders use humor differently, and the ways in which comedians have used humor to heal themselves and others through the ages (from court jesters to Stephen Colbert). It consolidates and clarifies much of what has already been written, reveals what has not yet been reported in the fields of neuroscience and humor studies, and provides recommendations for the targeted use of humor to combat the most common sources of suffering. "An intensely engaging and fascinating examination of the vital role humor plays in health and happiness." ~Joe Dea, Emmy Award-Winning Director "HUMOR'S HIDDEN POWER is a significant contribution to the existing literature on the healthful benefits of humor. Backing her claims with solid scientific research, Nichole Force makes a serious case that laughter really is the best medicine." ~Dr. Michael Pariser, Psy.D. Psychologist and Psychoanalyst, Los Angeles, CA "HUMOR'S HIDDEN POWER is an informative, intriguing and thoroughly enlightening book. A must-read for all who love humor, and those who have yet to discover its joys and rewards." ~Victor Schulte, Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney [Cover photo by Abdulhamid Al Fadhly]

Humor at Work in Teams, Leadership, Negotiations, Learning and Health

Author : Tabea Scheel
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319656910
Total Pages : 151 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (196 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Humor at Work in Teams, Leadership, Negotiations, Learning and Health by : Tabea Scheel

Download or read book Humor at Work in Teams, Leadership, Negotiations, Learning and Health written by Tabea Scheel and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-09-04 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art on the adaptive and maladaptive functions of humor. Humor is inescapable in our daily interactions - also at the work place. Affiliative, self-enhancing, self-deprecating and aggressive humor can all occur at work and have unique and sometimes ambiguous effects. The volume presents humor research on five important workplace topics: teams, leadership, negotiation, learning, and health. It combines and integrates research from a range of fields, including work and organizational psychology, social psychology, communication, linguistics and sociology. In highlighting research gaps and stating future research questions, the book provides a sufficient starting point for further research on humor in relation to the aforementioned topics. For practitioners, recommendations are provided specific to each area.

Humor and the Healing Arts

Author : Athena du Pré
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1135684413
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (356 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Humor and the Healing Arts by : Athena du Pré

Download or read book Humor and the Healing Arts written by Athena du Pré and published by Routledge. This book was released on 1997-11 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offering a social scientific look at humor's role in medical transactions, this volume is based on extensive field study in seven medical settings. It includes excerpts from dozens of actual conversations between patients and caregivers. Analysis of these episodes reveals that humor is a practical tool used to meet many medical objectives. It is used by patients to good-naturedly complain and to campaign for more personal attention, and by caregivers to get attention, make amends, insist on unpleasant routines, and establish rapport. Examining humor from many angles, the book begins with a phenomenological analysis of the essence of funny. This section describes what makes some things funny but not others, and how to distinguish between potentially funny and unfunny episodes in medical situations. From an ethnographic perspective, joking around is shown to be a persuasive element of medical culture. Examples illustrate how patients and caregivers use humor to negotiate the dialectics between helping and hurting, and individuality and compliance. Additionally, a close-up look at three medical transactions shows how humor is used to help a physical therapy patient overcome fear and queasiness, reduce the embarrassment of a mammography, and defuse a potential conflict between a student aide and a young patient. A final section examines techniques for initiating conversational humor. In sum, this volume provides an intimate and realistic look at medical conversations as they are conducted every day. It serves as a valuable complement to health communication texts and offers information of interest to health communication scholars, healthcare practitioners, and anyone interested in the effects and techniques of conversational humor. Richly grounded in naturally occurring data, the book can be understood and used effectively by both scholars and practitioners.

Humor the Lighter Path to Resilience and Health

Author : Paul McGhee PhD
Publisher : Author House
ISBN 13 : 1449060706
Total Pages : 400 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (49 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Humor the Lighter Path to Resilience and Health by : Paul McGhee PhD

Download or read book Humor the Lighter Path to Resilience and Health written by Paul McGhee PhD and published by Author House. This book was released on 2010-01-21 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We’ve all heard the phrase, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Readers Digest has been telling us this for years, but until recently there was no real evidence to back up the claim. This book discusses the exciting findings scientists have obtained over the past 25 years for how your sense of humor supports good physical and mental health. A separate chapter discusses humor and the brain. The first studies of humor and health demonstrated humor’s ability to strengthen the immune system, reduce pain and reduce levels of stress hormones circulating in the body. These general health-promoting benefits led researchers to study the impact of humor and laughter on specific diseases. This exciting new work has now shown health benefits of humor in connection with coronary heart disease, asthma, COPD, arthritis, certain allergies and diabetes. The two cerebral hemispheres of the brain are shown to play different roles in our understanding and enjoyment of humor. Also, specific dopamine-based pleasure centers in the brain have now been identified which account for the good feeling that results from humor and a good belly laugh. The key to understanding humor’s contribution to health and wellness is its ability to both build more positive emotion into your life and reduce feelings of anger, anxiety and depression. Humor helps provide the emotional resilience needed to meet the challenges presented by steadily increasing stress in our personal and work lives. It is a powerful tool for coping with any form of life stress, and a means of sustaining a positive, optimistic attitude toward life. And it’s never too late to improve your sense of humor. The companion to this book, Humor as Survival Training for a Stressed-Out World (also published by AuthorHouse), presents a hands-on program for learning to use humor to cope.

Encyclopedia of Humor Studies

Author : Salvatore Attardo
Publisher : SAGE Publications
ISBN 13 : 1483364704
Total Pages : 985 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (833 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Encyclopedia of Humor Studies by : Salvatore Attardo

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Humor Studies written by Salvatore Attardo and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2014-02-25 with total page 985 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Encyclopedia of Humor: A Social History explores the concept of humor in history and modern society in the United States and internationally. This work’s scope encompasses the humor of children, adults, and even nonhuman primates throughout the ages, from crude jokes and simple slapstick to sophisticated word play and ironic parody and satire. As an academic social history, it includes the perspectives of a wide range of disciplines, including sociology, child development, social psychology, life style history, communication, and entertainment media. Readers will develop an understanding of the importance of humor as it has developed globally throughout history and appreciate its effects on child and adult development, especially in the areas of health, creativity, social development, and imagination. This two-volume set is available in both print and electronic formats. Features & Benefits: The General Editor also serves as Editor-in-Chief of HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research for The International Society for Humor Studies. The book’s 335 articles are organized in A-to-Z fashion in two volumes (approximately 1,000 pages). This work is enhanced by an introduction by the General Editor, a Foreword, a list of the articles and contributors, and a Reader’s Guide that groups related entries thematically. A Chronology of Humor, a Resource Guide, and a detailed Index are included. Each entry concludes with References/Further Readings and cross references to related entries. The Index, Reader’s Guide themes, and cross references between and among related entries combine to provide robust search-and-browse features in the electronic version. This two-volume, A-to-Z set provides a general, non-technical resource for students and researchers in such diverse fields as communication and media studies, sociology and anthropology, social and cognitive psychology, history, literature and linguistics, and popular culture and folklore.

Satire, Comedy and Mental Health

Author : Dieter Declercq
Publisher : Emerald Publishing Limited
ISBN 13 : 9781839096679
Total Pages : 124 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (966 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Satire, Comedy and Mental Health by : Dieter Declercq

Download or read book Satire, Comedy and Mental Health written by Dieter Declercq and published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This book was released on 2021-01-13 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Satire, Comedy, and Mental Health examines how satire helps to sustain good mental health in a troubled socio-political world. Through an interdisciplinary dialogue and a close analysis of satire in various media, the book argues that satire helps us cope in a sick world through its ambiguous combination of critique and entertainment.

Ha!

Author : Scott Weems
Publisher : Basic Books
ISBN 13 : 0465080804
Total Pages : 258 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (65 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Ha! by : Scott Weems

Download or read book Ha! written by Scott Weems and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2014-03-04 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An entertaining tour of the science of humor and laughter Humor, like pornography, is famously difficult to define. We know it when we see it, but is there a way to figure out what we really find funny -- and why? In this fascinating investigation into the science of humor and laughter, cognitive neuroscientist Scott Weems uncovers what's happening in our heads when we giggle, guffaw, or double over with laughter. While we typically think of humor in terms of jokes or comic timing, in Ha! Weems proposes a provocative new model. Humor arises from inner conflict in the brain, he argues, and is part of a larger desire to comprehend a complex world. Showing that the delight that comes with "getting" a punchline is closely related to the joy that accompanies the insight to solve a difficult problem, Weems explores why surprise is such an important element in humor, why computers are terrible at recognizing what's funny, and why it takes so long for a tragedy to become acceptable comedic fodder. From the role of insult jokes to the benefit of laughing for our immune system, Ha! reveals why humor is so idiosyncratic, and why how-to books alone will never help us become funnier people. Packed with the latest research, illuminating anecdotes, and even a few jokes, Ha! lifts the curtain on this most human of qualities. From the origins of humor in our brains to its life on the standup comedy circuit, this book offers a delightful tour of why humor is so important to our daily lives.

The Routledge Handbook of Media Use and Well-Being

Author : Leonard Reinecke
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317501950
Total Pages : 485 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (175 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Routledge Handbook of Media Use and Well-Being by : Leonard Reinecke

Download or read book The Routledge Handbook of Media Use and Well-Being written by Leonard Reinecke and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-06-23 with total page 485 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Routledge Handbook of Media Use and Well-Being serves as the first international review of the current state of this fast-developing area of research. The volume provides a multifaceted perspective on the beneficial as well as the detrimental effects of media exposure on psychological health and well-being. As a "first-mover," it will define the field of media use and well-being and provide an essential resource for research and teaching in this area. The volume is structured along four central considerations: Processes presents concepts that provide a theoretical bridge between media use and well-being, such as psychological need satisfaction, recovery from stress and strain, self-presentation and self-enhancement, or parasocial interactions with media characters, providing a comprehensive understanding of the underlying processes that drive psychological health and well-being through media. Moderators examines both risk factors that promote negative effects on well-being and protective factors that foster positive media effects. Contexts bridges the gap between theory and "real life" by illustrating how media use can influence well-being and satisfaction in very different life domains, covering the full spectrum of everyday life by addressing the public, private, and work spheres. Audiences takes a look at the influence of life phases and life situations on the interplay of media use and well-being, questioning whether various user groups differ with regard to the effects of media exposure. Bringing together the expertise of outstanding international scholars from multiple disciplines, including communication, media psychology, social psychology, clinical psychology, and media education, this handbook sheds new light on the role of media in influencing and affecting emotions.

Digital Humour in the Covid-19 Pandemic

Author : Shepherd Mpofu
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 303079279X
Total Pages : 356 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (37 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Digital Humour in the Covid-19 Pandemic by : Shepherd Mpofu

Download or read book Digital Humour in the Covid-19 Pandemic written by Shepherd Mpofu and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-10-21 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Digital humour in the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives from the Global South offers a groundbreaking intervention on how digital media were used from below by ordinary citizens to negotiate the global pandemic humorously. This book considers the role played by digital media during the pandemic, and indeed in the socio-political life of the Global South, as indispensable and revolutionary to human communication. In many societies, humour not only signifies laughter and frivolity, but acts as an important echo that accompanies, critiques, questions, disrupts, agitates and comments on societal affairs and the human condition. This book analyses citizens’ use of social media and humour to mediate the pandemic in a diverse range of countries, including Brazil, India, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The book will appeal to academics and students of media and communication studies, political studies, rhetoric, and to policy makers.

Political Humor in a Changing Media Landscape

Author : Jody C Baumgartner
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1498565093
Total Pages : 353 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (985 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Political Humor in a Changing Media Landscape by : Jody C Baumgartner

Download or read book Political Humor in a Changing Media Landscape written by Jody C Baumgartner and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2020-07-07 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the past decade various studies have examined how political humor may influence various political attitudes and voting behavior; whether it affects learning, cognition and media literacy, how it might shape political participation; how people process different forms of political humor; and more. This book is devoted to anticipating and addressing where the field of political humor and its effects will move in the next generation of scholarship, exploring the continued evolution of the study of political humor as well as the normative implications of these developments. It includes research accounting for important changes and developments "on the ground" in the political humor landscape. These include the fact that the cadre of late-night television hosts have completely changed in the past 3 years; there are now more late night television choices; and many hosts have become more overtly political in their presentations. Recommended for scholars of communication, media studies, and political science.

Paradigms Lost

Author : Heather Stuart
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199797633
Total Pages : 241 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (997 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Paradigms Lost by : Heather Stuart

Download or read book Paradigms Lost written by Heather Stuart and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2012-06-28 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Paradigms Lost challenges key paradigms currently held about the prevention or reduction of stigma attached to mental illness using evidence and the experience the authors gathered during the many years of their work in this field. Each chapter examines one currently held paradigm and presents reasons why it should be replaced with a new perspective. The book argues for enlightened opportunism (using every opportunity to fight stigma), rather than more time consuming planning, and emphasizes that the best way to approach anti-stigma work is to select targets jointly with those who are most concerned. The most radical change of paradigms concerns the evaluation of outcome for anti-stigma activities. Previously, changes in stigmatizing attitudes were used as the best indicator of success. Paradigms Lost and its authors argue that it is now necessary to measure changes in behaviors (both from the perspective of those stigmatized and those who stigmatize) to obtain a more valid measure of a program's success. Other myths to be challenged: providing knowledge about mental illness will reduce stigma; community care will de-stigmatize mental illness and psychiatry; people with a mental illness are less discriminated against in developing countries. Paradigms Lost concludes by describing key elements in successful anti stigma work including the recommended duration of anti-stigma programmes, the involvement of those with mental illness in designing programmes, and the definition of programmes in accordance with local circumstances. A summary of weaknesses of currently held paradigms and corresponding lists of best practice principles to guide future anti-stigma action and research bring this insightful volume to an apt conclusion.

It's Kind of a Funny Story

Author : Ned Vizzini
Publisher : Disney Electronic Content
ISBN 13 : 1423141083
Total Pages : 452 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (231 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis It's Kind of a Funny Story by : Ned Vizzini

Download or read book It's Kind of a Funny Story written by Ned Vizzini and published by Disney Electronic Content. This book was released on 2010-09-25 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Like many ambitious New York City teenagers, Craig Gilner sees entry into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School as the ticket to his future. Determined to succeed at life—which means getting into the right high school to get into the right college to get the right job—Craig studies night and day to ace the entrance exam, and does. That's when things start to get crazy. At his new school, Craig realizes that he isn't brilliant compared to the other kids; he's just average, and maybe not even that. He soon sees his once-perfect future crumbling away.