Title: American culture, American tastes
Subtitle: social change and the 20th century
First published: 1999
Description: "Americans have a long history of public arguments about taste, the uses of leisure, and what is culturally appropriate in a democracy that has a strong work ethic. Michael Kammen surveys these debates as well as our changing taste preferences, especially in the past century, and the shifting perceptions that have accompanied them."--BOOK JACKET.

"Focusing on our own time, Kammen discusses the use of the fluid nature of cultural taste to enlarge audiences and increase revenues, and reveals how the public role of intellectuals and cultural critics has declined as the power of corporate sponsors and promoters has risen.

As a result of this diminution of cultural authority, he says, definitive pronouncements have been replaced by divergent points of view, and there is, as well, a tendency to blur fact and fiction, reality and illusion."--BOOK JACKET.
Subjects: History, Social life and customs, Aesthetics, Consumption (Economics), Popular culture, Social change, Social aspects of Consumption (Economics), Social aspects of Aesthetics, Popular culture -- United States -- History -- 20th century, New York Times reviewed, Social aspects
Places: United States
Time periods: 20th century
LC classification: E169.Z82 K35 1999