Dan Nadel strikes again!  What Nerve! is a unique and original amalgamation of -- as the sub-title succinctly states -- alternative figures in American art, 1960 to the present.  Here together under one cover for the first time are a widely diverse, and, at least at first glance, wildly divergent artists.  Only in this colleciton will you find work by The Hairy Who's Gladys Nilsson, Jim Nutt and Karl Wirsum along side of Destroy All Monster's Mike Kelly, Niagara and Jim Shaw alongside Jack Kirby and H.C. Westermann, Gary Panter and Forcefield's Mat Brinkman, Ara Peterson, Jim Drain and Leif Goldberg... and many more besides!  What Nerve! accompanies an exhibit of the same name running at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum from 19 September 2014 thorugh 4 January 2015 that was put together with Judith Tannenbaum.  The book is dvided into ten sections, each devoted to a particular artist or group of artists, and each accompanied by an essay written by a diverse body of art scholars including Nicole Rudick, Robert Cozzolino, Naomi Fry and, of course, Nadel himself.  Check out publisher D.A.P.'s page on the book where you will be able to take in the rave reviews and links to further info.  Once you spend some time with this collection, the connections amidst the diversity become manifest and a fresh narrative emerges.