From generation to generation, the world's myths, symbols, and archetypes express their timeless qualities in compelling and uniquely contemporary ways, and What It Means interprets this phenomenon for readers of today and beyond. Imagine you're a citizen of the twenty-fourth century and you're perusing this book, written in the early third millennium. Would you be able to relate to a fidget spinner, understand a QR code, or fathom a sport called 3-D archery? With the help of myth, symbol, and archetype, yes, you would!

"In this collection of semiserious semiotic essays, Rome (Travel for STOICs, 2018) examines symbols in everyday American life. Myths, symbols, and archetypes are often associated with the study of dusty works of literature, but they're also part of our daily existence. Rome aims to point out a few highlights in this new collection, which explores the not-so-obvious symbolic meanings of objects and activities in contemporary American culture ... Winking essay titles, such as 'The Roller Coaster Ride as Aristotelian Narrative' and 'The Eyelash Curler as Monument,' reveal the author's sense of humor, but she backs them up with well-considered arguments ... those with analytical predilections ... will find much to intrigue and amuse them." -Kirkus Reviews