KU News Release

KU professor’s book named ‘Outstanding Academic Title’ by influential group

LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas professor’s book exploring the Argentine film industry has been named an “Outstanding Academic Title” by the premier source of reviews of academic books, electronic media and Internet resources for higher education.

“The Cinematic Tango: Contemporary Argentine Film,” by Tamara Falicov, associate professor of theatre and film, is listed in the film category by Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries.

Falicov’s book includes a technical commentary on production and marketing within a four-period historical framework. In the 1930s, Argentina consolidated studios, the star system and print culture in a golden age that challenged Hollywood’s monopoly. Frequent clashes between pro- and anti-Axis censorship, Perónist nationalism and military dictatorship frequently plunged the industry into crisis from the mid-1940s until after the Dirty War in the late ’70s and early ’80s.

The Choice review cited Falicov’s “excellent analysis of the contemporary film scene, replete with fascinating new material. Jibing historical evolution with the ongoing debate over national identity in the industry’s complex tango with the state, this is by far the best guide to Argentine cinema available in English.”

Each year, the American Library Association compiles a list of the best academic books. Librarians use the list to select books for their libraries. In its January issue, Choice publishes the list of Outstanding Academic Titles that were reviewed during the previous year.

The list includes only about 10 percent of the roughly 7,000 works reviewed in Choice each year. Editors base their selections on excellence in presentation and scholarship, importance relative to other literature in the field, distinction as a first treatment of a given subject in book or electronic form, originality of treatment, value to undergraduate students and importance in building undergraduate library collections.

The book was published by Wallflower Press. Columbia University Press distributes it in the United States.

-30-

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.