Lawrence Glickman

Lawrence Glickman is a professor of American Studies at Cornell University and a prominent historian specializing in cultural, consumer, and labor history in the United States. His research focuses on the intersection of politics, social movements, and consumer activism from the 19th century to the present. Glickman has authored several influential books including "Buying Power: A History of Consumer Activism in America" (2009) and "Free Enterprise: An American History" (2019). His work examines how Americans have used their roles as consumers to effect social and political change, and how concepts like "free enterprise" have evolved in American political discourse. The historian's scholarship has contributed significantly to understanding the development of American capitalism and consumer culture. His research on living wage movements and labor standards has been particularly noteworthy in academic circles. Glickman regularly contributes to public discourse through articles in publications like The Washington Post and The Boston Review. His analysis of historical parallels to contemporary political and economic issues has made him a frequently cited expert in discussions of American consumer culture and political movements.

Readers value Glickman's academic works for his detailed research on consumer movements and economic history. Reviews highlight his ability to connect historical consumer activism to modern political movements. What readers liked: - Clear explanations of complex economic concepts - Integration of primary source materials - Connections between past and present consumer politics - Writing style that avoids dense academic jargon What readers disliked: - Some sections become repetitive - Occasional academic dryness - Selective focus on progressive movements over conservative ones Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: "Free Enterprise" - 3.8/5 (32 ratings) "Buying Power" - 3.9/5 (28 ratings) Amazon: "Free Enterprise" - 4.2/5 (14 reviews) "Buying Power" - 4.0/5 (8 reviews) One reader noted: "His analysis of consumer citizenship provides a fresh lens for understanding American activism." Another commented: "The historical parallels he draws are compelling, though at times oversimplified."

Buying Power: A History of Consumer Activism in America Chronicles how consumer movements and boycotts shaped American civic life from the revolutionary era through the twenty-first century.

Free Enterprise: An American History Examines the evolution of "free enterprise" as a political and cultural concept in American society from the 1930s onward.

A Living Wage: American Workers and the Making of Consumer Society Analyzes how labor movements advanced the concept of a living wage and its connection to American consumerism during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The Strike in American Life Documents the role of labor strikes in shaping American society, politics, and culture throughout U.S. history.

Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time Explores how the New Deal era transformed American political culture and established new frameworks for governance.

Consumer Society in American History: A Reader Compiles key historical documents and essays examining the development of consumer culture in the United States.