American life saw tremendous change from 1900-1910. This volume offers a wealth of information on popular culture at the dawn of the 20th century.
the so-called quiet decade of 1900-1910 was anything but quiet. Spurred by the energy and progressive attitude of President Theodore Roosevelt and millions of immigrants flooding into our cities, American life saw tremendous cultural and technological change. A healthy economy gave workers more spending money and leisure time to enjoy hobbies, travel, and pastimes, including a new and revolutionary entertainment-the movies.
Providing an exciting picture of American life at the dawn of the 20th century, this volume covers:
• Innovations in technology, such as the airplane and the automobile
•The advent of modern architecture
•The proliferation of advertising aimed at the new middle class
•Fads, games, sports, and hobbies
•Changes in fashion and cuisine
This book also features the burgeoning of the arts, including the school of realism and naturalism in literature, the first truly American music-jazz-and the new performing art that played to American tastes: vaudeville. A wealth of facts, information, and interesting sidelights not available elsewhere makes this a treasure trove for students and interested readers.
Bob Batchelor, PhD, is assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University and academic coordinator of its online master's program in public relations. He received his undergraduate degrees at the University of Pittsburgh, his master’s degree at Kent State University, and his doctorate in English at the University of South Florida. Batchelor is the author or editor of 21 books, including 3 volumes in Greenwood’s “Popular Culture through History” series: The 1900s, The 1980s, and The 2000s. In addition, he edited Greenwood's four-volume American Pop: Popular Culture Decade by Decade; Praeger's three-volume Cult Pop Culture: How the Fringe Became Mainstream; and Praeger's three-volume American History through American Sports. His published work also includes articles in Radical History Review, The Journal of American Culture, The Mailer Review, The American Prospect Online, and Public Relations Review, as well as many book chapters. Batchelor is a member of the editorial advisory boards of The Journal of Popular Culture and the International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, and was recently named director of marketing and promotion for The John Updike Childhood Home Museum in Reading, PA.
Series Foreword
Timeline of Popular Culture
Preface
Introduction
Everyday America
World of Youth
Advertising
Architecture
Fashion
Food
Leisure Activities
Literature
Music
Performing Arts
Travel
Visual Arts
Cost of Products During the 1900s
Reviews
Offering a wealth of information on the last century's first decade, this reference would be a useful addition to any collection....Recommended.—Library Media Connection
Business writer and historian Batchelor suspects that historians have acquired a distaste for the ten years between 1900 and 1910 because of the dominance of Teddy Roosevelt and The Progressive Era. He finds much more that was happening concerning life and youth, and such areas of popular culture as advertising, leisure activities, music, and travel.—Reference & Research Book News
