The Revenge of Hatpin Mary

This book may set down the myth of June Cleaver once and for all. Chad Dell deftly details a 1950s revolution in the making: millions of women of all ages flocked to wrestling arenas across the country, drawn to a parade of glistening bodies, purple satin capes and characters such as Gorgeous George and Killer Kowalski while millions more roared their approval as they watched on television. Dell's analysis of television broadcasts, media artifacts, fan club ephemera and interviews with wrestlers and their fans paints a new portrait of women in the 1950s who embraced the power of their passions.

The Author: Chad Dell is Associate Professor of Communication at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey. He received his Ph.D. in communication arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of several articles in journals and edited collections that investigate the exercise of power at the intersection of media and society.