Small Worlds

"This book ... is a timely and well balanced appraisal of a phenomenon which, although known, has perhaps not received the attention it deserves... Small Worlds is an attempt to identify what exists as a latent literary movement and a body of work centred around the aesthetics of Minimalism and which could well take on new forms in the years to come... Indispensable for those studying this field ..."--Journal of European Studies, 2000 "A Small World is an invigorating, elegant, and sardonic look at futurist fantasies of the spectacularization of everyday life. It makes a real contribution to the history of the American technological imagination."-- Scott Bukatman, author of Matters of Gravity: Special Effects and Supermen in the 20th Century "This engaging, fast-paced book synthesizes a broad range of critical viewpoints--phenomenology, poststructuralism, media studies, and American studies--in order to illuminate the long trajectory of the 'smart house,' from the factory-based models of the industrial era to the wired dream-boxes of today. Providing a clear, concise path through a vast body of literature, Davin Heckman's book will be useful for designers, architects, historians, and new media critics seeking to understand where technology is taking us."--Ellen Lupton, Curator of Contemporary Design, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum