Martha Bayles Explained

Martha Bayles
Birth Place:Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Spouse:Peter Skerry
Website:http://www.marthabayles.com/
Alma Mater:Harvard University (B.A.) University of Pennsylvania (M. Ed.)
Occupation:Writer, Professor, Critic
Notable Works:Hole In Our Soul: The Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music (1994); Through a Screen Darkly: Popular Culture, Public Diplomacy, and America's Image Abroad (2014)

Martha Bayles (born 1948) is an American critic, author, and college professor. Her work focuses on the arts, popular media, cultural policy, and U.S. public diplomacy. She has written for publications such as the Wall Street Journal, the Boston Globe, the Claremont Review of Books, and the Weekly Standard. Bayles' published books include Hole in Our Soul: The Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music in 1994, and Through a Screen Darkly: Popular Culture, Public Diplomacy, and America's Image Abroad in 2014. She has formerly taught at Harvard University and Claremont McKenna College, and is currently a professor of humanities at Boston College.

Life and career

Martha Bayles graduated from Harvard with a Bachelor of Arts in art history, and later graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Masters of Education. She taught at several public schools in Philadelphia, as well as in Boston and Cambridge, MA. Between 1997 and 2003, she taught humanities at Claremont McKenna College, with a short period in 2002 as a member of visiting faculty to Colorado College. In 2003, she began teaching humanities and the western cultural tradition at Boston College as a part of the Arts & Sciences Honors Program. After the end of the program in 2018, she remained at the college as a lecturer.[1]

As a writer and lecturer, Bayles has focused on American culture and media, as well as United States public diplomacy. She has worked as a writer for the Wall Street Journal and as an editor at Wilson Quarterly.[2] She has also contributed articles to the Claremont Review of Books, The Atlantic, and the National Review. Bayles has spoken at events both in the US and abroad; within the US, locations include the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia[3] and the American Enterprise Institute.[4] [5] [6] Outside of the US, she has given two speaking tours in Germany for the U.S. Embassy,[7] one tour in Poland as a part of the Fulbright Specialist program,[8] and held several individual events outside of the US.

Reviews and reception

For Hole in Our Soul

Hole in Our Soul’s released in 1994 to controversial reception.[9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] Reviewers tended to praise her writing and her recounting of the cultural history of American music, while criticizing her theoretical analysis. Daniel J. Silver from Commentary writes that “… despite some theoretical shakiness, [''Hole in Our Soul''] is a spirited and enlightening book… [Bayles] provides an entertaining cultural history, full of many flashes of offbeat insight”. Similarly, Jonathon S. Epstein from American Music writes that “The book is a captivating text, despite its sometimes less than rigorous handling of complex, multifaceted issues, and it should spark considerable debate among readers”.[18] Several reviewers disliked some of the focus on music critics within her analyses.[19] Jazz musician Sonny Rollins praised the work, writing that it is "[a]n illuminating look at where American culture is today, and how it got there".[20]

Focus within reviews was also placed on Bayles’ discussion on the root of American music in African-American styles.[21] [22] [23] [24] Robert Tate of Jazz Now wrote that her theory was an oversimplification of history, as well as “the old natural rhythm theory tricked out as modern political correctitude”. In contrast, Hal Crowther wrote in the Journal-Constitution observed that “Bayles’s indictments of popular music for misogyny, racism and infantile sexuality are among the book’s best arguments. And the torch she’s carrying is for black and black-influenced music”. Stanley Crouch wrote that Bayles "[understood] well the defeatist techniques that would-be radical pop entertainers inherit from misbegotten fine art".

For Through a Screen Darkly

Through a Screen Darkly was well-received by critics.[25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] Sam Schulman of the Weekly Standard writes that “Bayles’s genius here is not just in dissecting the pathology of the pop-culture mind, but in revealing its effects on the world at large—in matters of war, peace, freedom, and human relations”.[34] Sonny Bunch from Commentary notes that “It’s hard to think of a political constituency that won’t be annoyed with Bayles…” but that “… there is something to please every side as well”. Sarah Ruden of Books & Culture was more mixed in her review, writing that “though my reservations about Through a Screen Darkly range from the slums of Cape Town to my checking balance at the credit union down the road, I still commend the book for its useful overview and many astute points”.[35] American diplomat R. Nicholas Burns praised how Bayles' work "demonstrates how critical it is that our government return to vigorous public diplomacy to showcase the best of America,"[36] while Francis Fukuyama described the book as "a lively but sobering read for anyone concerned with America's place in the world”.

Toby Miller, in his review of the book for The Chronicle of Higher Education, was almost entirely negative on Bayles’ work.[37] He comments that “Bayles has labored long and hard on her analysis, but it amounts to a fleshing out of the simplistic hypothesis she was clearly wedded to from the start.” He also states that Bayles, in her research, did not engage with serious analysts of media and culture. One month after Miller’s review, Bayles wrote a letter to The Chronicle as a response to the article,arguing that he simplified the opinions of the people featured in the book, and ignored several scholars she had referenced: "[Miller] pays no attention to any of the people I interviewed -- especially when they had something good to say about America."[38]

Media

Bayles has appeared on multiple television and radio programs to discuss her work on public diplomacy, mostly in the 2013-2015 period. These appearances include several on PBS programs,[39] C-SPAN,[40] NPR[41] [42] ., and the "Dennis Prager Show".[43]

Awards and honors

Bayles has been awarded numerous honors from a variety of cultural, academic, and national institutions, including:

Bibliography

Authored books

Book chapters

Articles

The Claremont Review of Books and American Interest provide lists of published articles written by Martha Bayles on their websites (see External links). Other articles written by Bayles include:

External links

Articles

Lectures, blogs, and online interviews

Additional Reviews

Other

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Faculty Office Hours - Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences - Boston College . 2023-05-25 . www.bc.edu.
  2. 1996 . Editor's Comment . Wilson Quarterly . Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars . 20 . 1 . 3 . Wilson Quarterly Archives.
  3. Web site: 2017-01-03 . 2014-03-05 . Martha Bayles: "Through a Screen Darkly" . June 30, 2023 . Youtube . The Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture.
  4. Web site: 2006 . December 4, 2006 . The Ugly Americans . 2023-07-31 . www.c-span.org . C-SPAN.
  5. Web site: 2008 . April 22, 2008 . Understanding America . 2023-07-31 . C-SPAN.
  6. Web site: 2013-03-18 . Through a screen darkly: Popular culture, public diplomacy, and America's image abroad - Society and Culture - AEI . http://www.aei.org/events/2013/03/18/americas-cultural-footpring-abroad/ . 2014-07-14 . web.archive.org.
  7. Web site: Lecture Series Archive . 2023-07-31 . North American Studies . Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn . en.
  8. Web site: Fulbright Specialist Directory . 2023-07-31 . Fulbright Specialist Program . en-US.
  9. Book: Carnegie, M. D. . The American Spectator . 1994-06-01 . American Spectator. Internet Archive . 27 . 69–70 . English.
  10. Web site: Steyn . Mark . 1994-06-01 . She likes a Gershwin tune . 2023-05-03 . The New Criterion . en.
  11. Web site: Silver . Daniel J. . 1994-08-01 . "All That Jazz" . 2023-05-03 . Commentary Magazine . en-US.
  12. Web site: Parsons . Tony . 1996-08-19 . Rap around the clock . 2023-05-03 . Prospect . en.
  13. News: Lehmann-Haupt . Christopher . 1994-07-25 . BOOK REVIEW; Long Twisting Road From the Blues . 2023-05-05 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  14. News: Rothstein . Edward . 1994-07-03 . CLASSICAL VIEW; Riffs on Rap, Rock, Jazz, Modernism . 2023-05-05 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  15. Epstein . Jonathon S. . 1996 . Review of Hole in Our Soul: The Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music . American Music . 14 . 1 . 118–120 . 10.2307/3052464 . 3052464 . 0734-4392.
  16. News: Davis . Clive . 1994-07-20 . 'Obscenity, brutality and sonic abuse;' A provocative new book traces the 'corruption' of popular music . The London Times . 32–33.
  17. Vroon . Donald R. . November–December 1996 . Hole in Our Soul (paperback) . American Record Guide . 59 . 6 . Gale eBooks.
  18. Epstein . Jonathon S. . 1996 . Review of Hole in Our Soul: The Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music . American Music . 14 . 1 . 120 . 10.2307/3052464 . 3052464 . 0734-4392.
  19. News: Felten . Eric . 1994-06-19 . Nihilism parading as music . The Washington Times.
  20. Web site: Hole in Our Soul: The Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music . May 1, 2023 . The University of Chicago Press . Back cover . Book purchase page and preview . 1994.
  21. News: Crowther . Hal . 1994-07-17 . The plague of pop . The Atlanta Constitution . 176.
  22. News: Tombes . Jonathan . 1995-01-01 . How about some country? . National Catholic Register.
  23. News: Dean . Eddie . 1994-04-14 . BOOK WORLD . 2023-05-05 . Washington Post . en-US . 0190-8286.
  24. News: Tate . Robert . August 1996 . Review: Hole in Our Soul: The Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music . Jazz Now.
  25. Web site: Bunch . Sonny . 2014-04-01 . How They See Us . 2023-04-29 . Commentary Magazine . en-US.
  26. Snyder . James Thomas . 2015-01-27 . Book review: Through a Screen Darkly: Popular Culture, Public Diplomacy, and America's Image Abroad., written by Martha Bayles . The Hague Journal of Diplomacy . en . 10 . 1 . 105–107 . 10.1163/1871191X-12341299 . 1871-1901.
  27. Web site: O'Sullivan . John . 2014 . Selling America Short, and Nasty . 2023-04-29 . Claremont Review of Books . en-US.
  28. Book: Schulman, Sam . The Weekly Standard, Volume 19, Number 22 . 2014-02-17 . 38–40.
  29. Web site: Scott . Carl Eric . 2014-10-08 . Globally Conscious Americanism That Ain't Globalist: Thoughts on Bayles, Tocqueville, Whitman, and Manent . 2023-04-29 . National Review . en-US.
  30. Web site: Bishop . Carl M. . May 2014 . The "Fun House Mirror" and "Moribund" Public Diplomacy . 2023-04-29 . americandiplomacy.web.unc.edu . American Diplomacy.
  31. Web site: Scruton . Roger . April 2014 . Pop Imperialism Roger Scruton . 2023-04-29 . First Things . en.
  32. Web site: Metzgar . Emily T. . 2014-05-23 . Public Diplomacy as a Corrective Lens? . 2023-04-29 . USC Center on Public Diplomacy . en.
  33. Web site: Bishop . Donald . 2014 . The "Fun House Mirror" and "Moribund" Public Diplomacy . 2024-04-04 . American Diplomacy.
  34. Book: Schulman, Sam . The Weekly Standard, Volume 19, Number 22 . 2014-02-17 . 2014 . 40.
  35. Web site: Ruden . Sarah . How They (Really) See Us . 2023-04-29 . Christianity Today . en.
  36. Web site: Through a Screen Darkly . 2023-05-02 . Yale University Press . en-US . Book blurb section of purchase page.
  37. Web site: Miller . Toby . 2014-03-17 . Jingo Unchained . 2023-04-29 . The Chronicle of Higher Education . en.
  38. Web site: Bayles . Martha . 2014-04-07 . A Caricature, Not a Critique . 2023-04-29 . The Chronicle of Higher Education . en.
  39. Web site: June 5, 2014 . Is U.S. popular culture swaying public opinion abroad? . June 30, 2023 . Youtube . PBS NewsHour.
  40. Web site: McArdle . John (host) . 2014-12-25 . Martha Bayles on [Through a Screen Darkly] C-SPAN.org ]. 2024-04-01 . www.c-span.org . Washington Journal.
  41. Web site: Golbeck . Jen . Pop Culture And The American Image . 2024-04-01 . The Kojo Nnamdi Show . WAMU . en-US . Radio Broadcast.
  42. Web site: Ashbrook . Tom . 2014-01-14 . America's Cultural Exports Now . 2024-04-01 . OnPoint . WBUR . en.
  43. Web site: Prager . Dennis . 12 February 2014. 2014-2-12 . Prager 20140212 - 1 Superior . 2024-04-01 . Pragertopia . Podcast.
  44. News: Bayles . Martha . 2024-03-08 . 'How to Win an Information War' Review: Deception on the Airwaves . 2024-04-04 . WSJ . en-US.
  45. News: Bayles . Martha . 2023-02-26 . Plato Goes to China' Review: When Ancients Serve Ideologues . The Wall Street Journal.
  46. News: Bayles . Martha . 2022-10-23 . 'Cold War Radio' Review: Listen and You Shall Hear . 2024-04-10 . WSJ . en-US.
  47. News: Bayles . Martha . 2022-06-24 . 'The Socratic Method' Review: Let Us Reason Together . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  48. News: Bayles . Martha . 2021-11-07 . 'Rescuing Socrates' Review: Great Books, Greatly Missed . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  49. Web site: Bayles . Martha . 2014-06-15 . Bowe Bergdahl, 'Homeland,' and the kindness of strangers . 2024-04-01 . Boston Globe . en-US.
  50. Web site: Bayles . Martha . 2013-01-20 . Subdued by the tube . 2024-04-01 . Boston Globe . en-US.
  51. Book: Bayles, Martha . Paint By Numbers: New Deal Art and the Problems of Public Patronage . 2009-11-16 . The Weekly Standard . 15.
  52. News: Bayles . Martha . 2009-08-14 . Woodstock: Both a Dream and a Nightmare . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  53. News: Bayles . Martha . 2009-06-27 . The Legacy of Michael Jackson . 2024-04-01 . Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty . en.
  54. News: Bayles . Martha . 2008-08-01 . An American Education, Closer to Home . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  55. News: Bayles . Martha . 2008-07-24 . The Art of Global Public Relations . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  56. News: Bayles . Martha . 2007-06-28 . How the People's Republic Does PR . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  57. News: Bayles . Martha . 2007-02-16 . Public Diplomacy, TV-Style . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  58. Bayles . Martha . 2006 . The Angel of Diversity . Antioch Review . 64 . 4 . 662–679 . 10.2307/4615059 . 4615059.
  59. News: Bayles . Martha . 2006-05-05 . Innocents Abroad . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  60. News: Bayles . Martha . 2005-07-06 . Some of Rap's Fathers Start Taking Responsibility . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  61. News: Bayles . Martha . 2005-04-28 . Attacks on Rap Now Come From Within . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  62. News: Bayles . Martha . 1997-11-13 . Rock's Bad Boy Pose Is Getting Old . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.
  63. News: Bayles . Martha . 1997-08-15 . Will the Real Elvis Please Stand Up? . 2024-04-01 . WSJ . en-US.

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