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The World According to Star Wars summary
What Star Wars can teach us about the world we live in
12 mins
Brief summary
The World According to Star Wars by Cass R. Sunstein explores the social, political, and cultural impact of the Star Wars franchise on the world, examining its characters, themes, and fandom.
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The World According to Star Wars
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Exploring how Star Wars was created debunks a myth about the creative process.
Star Wars has become so influential and iconic – despite a science fiction world so full of classic characters and famous lines – that it sometimes seems like it’s been around forever.
But there was once a time when things like Death Stars and Wookiees were but vague ideas in the mind of its creator, George Lucas.
Indeed, these ideas were so unclear back in the early 1970s when Lucas first talked about making a Star Wars movie, that he only had a basic premise: the heroes would be aliens and the villains would be humans.
While that’s an interesting idea to start with, it bears little resemblance to the movie we know today and the all-human trio of heroic main characters: Luke, Leia and Han Solo.
Like many films, the first Star Wars movie, A New Hope, went through multiple drafts before it got to the screen. Lucas ended up writing four different drafts before he arrived at the version that went on to become the movie that’s known and loved today.
And that was just one movie. It certainly wasn’t a detailed storyline that would extend over two trilogies with a third still on its way to completion.
Even the iconic plot twists that came in later movies, such as Darth Vader turning out to be Luke’s father or Luke and Leia being twins, weren’t there from the beginning.
Many years later, when talking to the writers of the TV show Lost, Lucas confided that he didn’t know where things were headed when the first movie came out.
Indeed, those revelations that seem so integral to the mythology of Star Wars were all the result of brainstorming sessions between Lucas and his writers.
It’s a common misconception that famous creators like Lucas give birth to worlds that are fully formed and planned out in advance; we can call this the myth of creative foresight.
But that’s not how creativity really works. The creative process is about being open and uncertain, and latching on to ideas that emerge along the way.
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What is The World According to Star Wars about?
The World According to Star Wars (2016) reveals the many life lessons to be learned from George Lucas’s Star Wars films. Discover what popular science fiction can tell us about ourselves, what Star Wars has to say about the politics of popularity and how we interpret movies and inject our favorite stories with our own ideas.
The World According to Star Wars Review
The World According to Star Wars (2016) by Cass R. Sunstein is a thought-provoking exploration of the cultural impact and profound influence of the Star Wars franchise. Here's why this book is definitely worth reading:
- With insightful analysis and a fresh perspective, it delves into the deeper meanings and moral lessons found in the Star Wars universe.
- By combining academic rigor and pop culture references, the book offers an accessible and engaging exploration of the social and political relevance of Star Wars.
- Through fascinating anecdotes and historical context, it showcases how Star Wars has shaped our collective consciousness and become a cultural phenomenon.
Best quote from The World According to Star Wars
Adjusted for inflation, the movie Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope has made approximately $1.55 billion; thats $700 million more than the GDP of Samoa.
—Cass R. Sunstein
Who should read The World According to Star Wars?
- Star Wars fans
- Creative people interested in popular trends
- Political scholars
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The World According to Star Wars FAQs
What is the main message of The World According to Star Wars?
Discover the profound impact of Star Wars on culture, politics, and the human condition in The World According to Star Wars.
How long does it take to read The World According to Star Wars?
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Is The World According to Star Wars a good book? Is it worth reading?
The World According to Star Wars is a fascinating read for any Star Wars fan or anyone interested in the cultural phenomenon. It offers insightful perspectives on the saga's impact.
Who is the author of The World According to Star Wars?
Cass R. Sunstein is the author of The World According to Star Wars.
What to read after The World According to Star Wars?
If you're wondering what to read next after The World According to Star Wars, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmer
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
- Indian Philosophy by Sue Hamilton
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- The Ethics of Ambiguity by Simone de Beauvoir
- Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven
- Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
- A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle