David McGowan

The specter of the marauding serial killer has become a relatively common feature on the American landscape. Reactions to these modern-day monsters range from revulsion to morbid fascination--fascination that is either fed by, or a product of, the saturation coverage provided by print and broadcast media, along with a dizzying array of books, documentary films, websites, and "Movies of the Week." The prevalence in Western culture of images of serial killers (and mass murderers) has created in the public mind a consensus view of what a serial killer is. Most people are aware, to some degree, of the classic serial killer 'profile.' But what if there is a much different 'profile'--one that has not received much media attention? In Programmed to Kill, acclaimed and always controversial author David McGowan takes a fresh look at the lives of many of America's most notorious accused murderers, focusing on the largely hidden patterns that suggest that there may be more to the average serial killer story than meets the eye. Think you know everything there is to know about serial killers? Or is it possible that sometimes what everyone 'knows' to be true isn't really true at all?

The Politics of Serial Murder

Programmed to Kill

Place of publication transcribed from publisher's website.

Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops and the Dark Heart of the Hippy Dream

Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon

By offering a radical review of the last one hundred years of US history, this work is intended as a counterpoint to the rampant revisionism of the flurry of books glorifying the "American Century". Beginning with the rather bold and decidedly controversial assertion that the current political system in place in the United States at the dawn of the twenty-first century is fascism, the first part of this book attempts to justify that claim by first defining exactly what fascism is—correcting various widely-held misconceptions—and then analyzing how closely we as a nation conform to that definition. Also included is a review of some of the hidden history and key events of World War II. Part II offers a retrospective of the twentieth century American presidential administrations, to demonstrate that the steady and inexorable march towards overt fascism was a defining characteristic that remained unchanged. The final section looks at the still very much alive eugenics movement, and analyzes the role played by the psychiatric establishment in validating the fascist state. This book will surely find no shortage of detractors, but if read with an open mind, it just may change the way you view the world.

American Fascism and the Politics of Illusion

Understanding the F-word

This book provides an excellent and easy-to-read path to making the most of your medical career starting as a student...and a ready source of really useful hints and tips that will help anyone reading this book maximise their personal and professional development.' From the Foreword by Dr Inam Haq Want to optimise your chances of success? Take a fresh look at the clinical world. Medical careers have changed and learning how to play the game is as important as being the best in your field. This inspirational new guide considers your medical career from a wide-ranging perspective, encouraging a positive, early outlook. On a highly practical note, it acts as a comprehensive information source, covering all aspects of job applications and medical careers. On a personal note the book fosters a complete reassessment of the way you view your working life. It offers fresh ideas to help identify important opportunities to improve your CV - taking opportunities when you can whilst making the most of what you have. Easy to read and conversational in tone, it details invaluable ideas on developing your portfolio and innovative methods to successfully market yourself, alongside sound approaches to the challenges and intricacies of the modern medical career.

Maximising Your Chances of Success

Making the Most of Your Medical Career

The America the Media Don't Want You to See

Derailing Democracy

Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop, Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny, Felix the Cat, and other beloved cartoon characters have entertained media audiences for almost a century, outliving the human stars who were once their contemporaries in studio-era Hollywood. In Animated Personalities, David McGowan asserts that iconic American theatrical short cartoon characters should be legitimately regarded as stars, equal to their live-action counterparts, not only because they have enjoyed long careers, but also because their star personas have been created and marketed in ways also used for cinematic celebrities. Drawing on detailed archival research, McGowan analyzes how Hollywood studios constructed and manipulated the star personas of the animated characters they owned. He shows how cartoon actors frequently kept pace with their human counterparts, granting “interviews,” allowing “candid” photographs, endorsing products, and generally behaving as actual actors did—for example, Donald Duck served his country during World War II, and Mickey Mouse was even embroiled in scandal. Challenging the notion that studios needed actors with physical bodies and real off-screen lives to create stars, McGowan demonstrates that media texts have successfully articulated an off-screen existence for animated characters. Following cartoon stars from silent movies to contemporary film and television, this groundbreaking book broadens the scope of star studies to include animation, concluding with provocative questions about the nature of stardom in an age of digitally enhanced filmmaking technologies.

Cartoon Characters and Stardom in American Theatrical Shorts

Animated Personalities

Is the U.S. a beacon of progress? That's how the mainstream media want you to see it. But in Derailing Democracy: The America the Media Don't Want You to See, David McGowan has compiled an index of disturbing facts that point to ominous trends. Did you know: -- We're number one: the United States has the highest number of death-row inmates of any country on Earth: 3,300. -- That the U.S. is one of only two countries to defy an International Court ruling (over Nicaragua 1986) -- the other one is Iran. -- That only a handful of countries opposed a 1998 UN Commission on Human Rights call for a moratorium on all executions -- Bangladesh, China, South Korea, Rwanda, and the United States. -- That 133 nations, including virtually all U.S. allies, have signed a treaty banning landmines -- but the U.S. insists on continued production. -- That in 1996 the list of the top ten richest people in the world contained two Americans who held 28% of the wealth on the list; by 1999 they numbered seven out of ten, with 84% of the wealth. -- Since the early 1990s, more than 60 people in the USA are reported to have died in police custody after being exposed to pepper spray. -- That the U.S. is selling surveillance equipment to countries with the worst human rights records -- so that they can track dissidents in an international tracking system for individuals 'of interest.' -- That the California prison population grew from 19,600 in 1977 to 159,000 in 1998. -- Stun belts used on prisoners have been widely condemned for the incapacitating pain they deliver. In instances where children are tried as adults, they are not exempted from wearing the belts. From mandatory minimumsentencing laws to new more liberal search-and-seizure rules, from Three Strikes You're Out to congressional legislation for a national ID card, in Derailing Democracy, David McGowan has compiled the facts to show that the noose around democracy is tightening every day.

David McGowan

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