Poplorica : Popular History of the Fads, Mavericks, Inventions, and Lore that Shaped Modern America.

Smith, Martin J. [Mary Austin Speaker, Patrick J. Kiger, Michael Khoury]

ISBN 10: 0060535318 / ISBN 13: 9780060535315

Edité par New York : HarperResource, 2004., 2004

A propos de cet article

1st edition, 1st printing ; xix, 284 p. ; 24 cm. ; ISBN: 0060535318; 9780060535315 LCCN: 2003-51054 ; OCLC: 52341695 ; LC: E169.1; Dewey: 306/.0973 ; blue and grey cloth with metallic green lettering, in photographic color dustjacket ; "Pop culture meets pop reference in this irreverent tour of twenty unlikely events, innovations, and individuals that forever changed how we live today -- the food we eat, the places we live, the love we make, the fads we follow, the clothes we wear, the product s we buy, and much more. Veteran journalists Martin J. Smith and Patrick J. Kiger make the offbeat their beat, revealing the odd, surprising, and amusing origins of inexplicable cultural phenomena. From slam dunks to rock 'n' roll punks, permanent press to pantyhose, black velvet painting to point-click culture, high-tech diapers to low-brow entertainment -- they cover sports, business, music, media, film, fashion, and science, and explain a lot about why life today is so weird: If homeowners hate yardwork, why do most suburban homes have lawns? In the best-fed country on earth, how did thin become "in"? When did the "convenience" of convenience food become more important than the food? Was the sexual revolution really sparked by the disastrous honeymoon of a science geek? Why are today's multimillion-dollar design and marketing plans for cars based on the biggest failure in automotive history? How did the invention of air conditioning radically rebalance political power and affect the paths of presidents? The untold, unexpected, sometimes unholy stories are here, providing instant inside knowledge and richly entertaining insights into how and why we live as we do." ; remainder mark at bottom, else FINE/FINE.

N° de réf. du vendeur 4162

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: Poplorica : Popular History of the Fads, Mavericks, Inventions, and Lore that Shaped Modern America.
• Éditeur: New York : HarperResource, 2004.
• Date de parution: 2004
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN à 10 chiffres: 0060535318
• ISBN à 13 chiffres: 9780060535315
• Reliure: Hardcover
• Édition: 1st Edition
• État de l'article: Fine
• État de la jaquette: Fine
• Type de livre: Book
• Catalogues du vendeur:
  • Catalog 60 - General

A propos de ce titre

Synopsis

Book by Smith Martin J Kiger Patrick J

Revue de presse

"...offbeat and colorful" (-John Hall, Sun Post News, San Clemente, CA)

Razor-sharp humor. . .a witty history of offbeat cultural phenomena. (Los Angeles Times)

The authors look at everything from. . .lawn care to. . .baby boomers' love affair with golf. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

A snappy look at 20 things that changed America, or at least mutated it.. . .Smith and Kiger aren't the guys you want on the other side of the Trivial Pursuit board. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Brisk and frisky. . .compulsively readable. . . . All history should be this much fun. (Publishers Weekly)

The best part is [their] lighthearted approach and love for their subject: the enthusiasm... Americans bring to improving their lives (USA Today)

Riveting. . .Like all compelling nonfiction, you can't make this stuff up. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

[Smith and Kiger trace] the people and fads that have constituted American popular culture over the years. (Booklist)

In this offbeat omnium-gatherum,.the delights are in the details. (Wall Street Journal)

Martin Smith and Patrick Kiger have captured some of the most significant moments that never made it into our textbooks. (Kenneth C. Davis, author of Don't Know Much About History)