With the development of new media models and information ecologies (many of which originated at MIT's Media Lab), the word "media" now begs to be redefined. Phrases such as "the global village" and "the medium is the message" are now part of the lexicon, but they originated with Marshall McLuhan. This reissue of his landmark book marks the 30th anniversary of McLuhan's classic expose on the state of the then-emerging phenomenon of mass media. In the book's new introduction, Lewis Lapham reevaluates McLuhan's work in the light of the technological as well as the political and social changes that have occurred in the last part of this century--McLuhan's theories continue to challenge people's sensibilities and assumptions about how and what is communicated. Divided into 33 chapters, the book ranges over many topics concerning diverse types of media, technology, and communication throughout history (i.e., radio, comic books, television, the printed word, games, the press, weapons, automation, education, advertising, etc.). (NKA)