American Culture, American Tastes: Social Change and the 20th Century

Michael Kammen examines the evolution of American popular culture and taste-making throughout the 20th century. His analysis tracks the shift from vernacular culture to mass culture, and ultimately to popular culture as we know it today. The book investigates how cultural authority changed hands between different groups and institutions over time. Kammen documents the roles of critics, academics, marketers, and media gatekeepers in shaping what Americans consumed and valued culturally. Through extensive research and historical documentation, Kammen explores specific developments in entertainment, media, and the arts from 1900 to the end of the millennium. He draws on newspapers, magazines, personal accounts, and cultural criticism to construct his cultural history. The work raises fundamental questions about democracy, commercialization, and the relationship between high and low culture in American society. Its examination of how taste is formed and transmitted offers insights into ongoing debates about cultural values and identity.

Readers found this to be a dense academic examination of how American tastes and cultural consumption evolved through the 20th century. Several reviewers noted Kammen's thorough research and documentation, though some felt overwhelmed by the level of detail. Readers appreciated: - Comprehensive historical analysis of cultural trends - Strong theoretical framework for examining popular vs mass culture - Clear connections between economic and social factors Common criticisms: - Writing style is dry and overly academic - Too much focus on definitional debates rather than examples - Some sections feel repetitive From 13 Goodreads ratings: 3.46/5 average rating From 4 Amazon reviews: 3.5/5 average rating One reviewer on Amazon wrote: "While the research is impressive, Kammen gets bogged down in academic hair-splitting rather than telling the story of how American culture actually changed." A Goodreads reviewer praised the book's "meticulous examination of how marketing and media shaped American cultural consumption patterns."

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🎭 Michael Kammen won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for his book "People of Paradox: An Inquiry Concerning the Origins of American Civilization" 📚 The book draws a crucial distinction between "popular culture" and "mass culture," arguing they represent different historical phases of American cultural development 🎬 Kammen traces how entertainment shifted from community-based activities in the early 1900s (like county fairs and vaudeville) to mass-produced, commercialized forms by mid-century 🎓 As a professor at Cornell University for over four decades, Kammen was known as one of America's foremost cultural historians 🗽 The book explores how American taste-making shifted from European influences to distinctly American forms during the 20th century, particularly after World War II