Crisply written and full of interesting developments, but it was oddly heavy on the "hopes" part (the success of the film and magazine industries, the birth of radio and the MoMA, etc.) and very light on the "ashes" - surely the Great Depression merits more than a few passing mentions? ( )

Modern American popular culture as we know it began to take shape in the 1930s with the emergence of radio, the coming of sound to films, the birth of news magazines, and the growing appreciation of modern art. Marquis describes developments in these areas, as well as detailing the 1939 New York World's Fair, in this well-written, enjoyable book. The interaction of mass and elite culture is investigated, as are the cultural effects of the Depression and the European unrest in the course of the decade. Unfortunately, Marquis covers little new ground, fails to tie her discussions together, and uses many secondary sources.

Illustrated to convey the style and sensibility of the 1930s, this volume illustrates the events and personalities of the 1930s and the birth of American mass culture.