Lee Ann Elliott Westman

The Virtues and Vices in the Arts

Arts & Literature

“Shawn Tucker demonstrates how the concepts of virtue and vice are not only very relevant to contemporary Western culture but have a comprehensive, fluid, and contested history in art and literature. This interdisciplinary study of these core cultural concepts, and a serious inquiry into what behavior we sanction and what behavior we condemn, is a welcome addition to the study of humanities. Tucker's lively introductions are especially effective at linking ancient texts and artistic works to modern ones, with generous nods to contemporary music, television, and cultural phenomenon such as fad diets and Christian rock.”