“With the exception of three new ones, the fifty-one essays gathered here were culled from the three-volume Handbook of American Popular Culture (Greenwood Press, 1978-81). Most essays have been updated and some were completely rewritten. Each is a cogent history of some facet of U.S. popular culture, written by an academically affiliated specialist. The range is wide, including such expected or surprising categories as architecture, dance, film, fashion, music, advertising, the automobile, best-sellers, editorial cartoons, magic and magicians, pornography, television, regionalism in literature and the arts, physical fitness, and the occult. This compilation is geared primarily toward the student (popular culture having become a subject in demand on college campuses, as the editor relates), but is accommodating to general-interest readers. Bibliographies appended to each chapter. Brief information on contributors provided. To include proper name index.”– Booklist… (more)