How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of a Multibillion Dollar Franchise

Description

Forty years and $37 billion later, on the eve of EPISODE VII, the first complete history of STAR WARS - from Lucas's early drafts to the present day. Why do most people know what an Ewok is, even if they haven't seen Return of the Jedi? How have Star Wars action figures come to outnumber human beings? How did 'Jedi' become an officially recognised religion? When did the films' merchandising revenue manage to rival the GDP of a small country? Tracing the birth, death and rebirth of the epic universe built by George Lucas and hundreds of writers, artists, producers, and marketers, Chris Taylor jousts with modern-day Jedi, tinkers with droid builders, and gets inside Boba Fett's helmet, all to find out how STAR WARS has attracted and inspired so many fans for so long. 'It's impossible to imagine a Star Wars fan who wouldn't love this book. There are plenty of books about Star Wars, but very few of them are essential reading. This one goes directly to the top of the pile' Booklist (starred review).

Chris Taylor is the deputy editor of MASHABLE, the world's largest social media and technology news website. He has covered the intersection of business and culture for two decades as a writer and editor for TIME, BUSINESS 2.0, FORTUNE SMALL BUSINESS, and FAST COMPANY. A graduate of Merton College, Oxford and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, he lives in Berkeley, California.

'Wildly entertaining ... if it's not the definitive history of the making of STAR WARS, I don't know what is' Dave Eggers. 'An affectionate and hugely entertaining book' Simon Pegg. 'Smart. Eloquent. Definitive. This is the book you're looking for' Lev Grossman. 'A fascinating history ... packed with interesting anecdotes, factoids, and observations. If you have any interest in the genre, then you should read it for the history ... If you are a fan of the franchise, then there's really no excuse for you to have not bought this already' Civilian Reader. 'Months from a new chapter in the Star War's legend, this book has a similar potential to increase excitement, and remind people of why they love Luke and co. But its most significant impact is to peel away Lucas's reputation as an unemotional and distant figure, revealing the human underneath' SFX. 'Star Wars fans who can't wait for the new film to come out will want to get their hands on a copy' Independent on Sunday. 'Among the great pleasures provided by Chris Taylor is his thorough and entertaining account of the Star Wars films' production and their afterlife in popular culture' Telegraph. 'What may have begun as a simple science-fiction movie filled with "adventure, thrills, good versus bad" quickly evolved into "a grand, galaxy spanning mythological epic" according to Chris Taylor in this definitively nerdy compendium of facts and figures' Daily Mail. 'Overarching everything else, the films offer a kind of window into the West ... Chris Taylor's assiduity in telling his tale will undoubtedly help perpetuate a valuable franchise - and maybe also that priceless outlook' Quadrapheme. 'A great read that looks at the franchise in a new light' Burton Mail. 'The prose is smart, but never overwhelmingly so ... the quality of the writing and impressive research and wit will keep you committed' 10/10 Starburst Magazine. 'An intelligent, entertaining unauthorised account ... this is the work of someone who has done his Star Wars homework and is not easily caught out. This is just about the most enjoyable Star Wars read you could ask for' Episode Nothing.