Greatest Show in the Galaxy

The Greatest Show in the Galaxy: The Discerning Fan's Guide to Doctor Who, a new academic survey of Doctor Who and its themes, is now available from McFarland and Company Publishing. The book can also be purchased through Amazon.com; following the Amazon links below directly benefits the operation of the Outpost Gallifrey website.

Amazon.com (US)
Amazon.co.uk (UK) (not yet available)
Amazon.ca (Canada)



Mark Schuster, coauthor of the book, describes it as follows: "The basic argument of the book is that Doctor Who, like all good science-fiction, takes us to exotic worlds in order to show us what it means to be human. Exploring the weird and wonderful realm of Doctor Who in relation to such contemporary phenomena as cosmetic surgery, consumerism, reality television, political punditry and road rage, my co-author, Tom Powers, and I demonstrate that the exploits of our favorite time traveler provide us with everything we need to know about life, the universe and everything (to borrow a phrase from another legendary sci-fi series)."

The publisher's official blurb is below.
The long-running BBC science fiction program Doctor Who has garnered an intense and extremely loyal fan base since its 1963 debut. This work examines the influences of psychology, literature, pop culture, and the social sciences on Doctor Who storylines and characters. Topics explored include how such issues as class, gender, and sexual attraction factor into the relationships between the Doctor and his companions; whether the Doctor suffers from multiple personality disorder or other psychological afflictions; and the role of the Doctor's native culture in shaping his sense of identity.