The military snapshot -- Men in military groups -- Manhood as a project -- The concept of play -- Male friendship -- Animal buddies -- The male body in the military -- The male body as symbol -- Clean and dirty -- Human pyramids -- Cross-dressing -- Playfighting -- Hazing -- Deep play.
Summary
"In Soldier Snapshots, Jay Mechling reveals how vernacular photos by men in the military reveal layers of meaning that require us to incorporate perspectives drawn from the fields of psychoanalysis, masculinity and gender studies, cultural anthropology, and American Studies to interpret them. As with his other books-on topics such as the Boy Scouts, wildlife, and children's folklore-Mechling seeks an understanding of American culture by subjecting particular bits of evidence to scrutiny to see how the part can reveal the whole. The 84 photographs in this book are part of a collection of vintage snapshots collected by Mechling from online auctions and vintage photography shows. He presents and discusses them using themes such as play, male friendship, and the male body"-- Provided by publisher.
