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Skidmore College

Cahn's new book looks at classic TV

November 18, 2014
Victor Cahn's book

Victor Cahn, professor emeritus of English, is the author of Walking Distance:  Remembering Classic Episodes from Classic Television, published by Resource Publications, an imprint of Wipf and Stock.

According to the publisher’s web site, "In this entertaining and informative book, Victor L. Cahn revisits memorable episodes from eleven classic television shows, including The Twilight Zone, Maverick, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Fugitive, The Avengers, and All in the Family. He provides background for each program, details about the creative individuals involved, close readings of the scripts, and reflections on why these series were influential when originally broadcast and why they continue to be enjoyed decades later by "baby boomers," their children, and their grandchildren. With a scholar's insight and a fan's enthusiasm, he offers a unique perspective on an integral part of mid-twentieth-century American culture.

Cahn himself said in a recent interview with Norm Goldman, "I’ve been watching television all of my life, and in this book I focus on individual episodes of eleven shows that have long been among my favorites. I’m not saying that they’re the best programs of their time, although some surely are. These just mattered most to me, I’ve been ruminating about them for decades, and this book represents my sharing ideas that have been percolating inside me for as long as I can remember."

Read more about the book at the publisher’s web site.

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