First published 2004
Cultural critic Terry Teachout surveys the American arts landscape across fifteen years of writing and observation. He examines music through figures like Louis Armstrong, television through shows like The Sopranos, and spans theater, dance, literature, film, and visual arts. Teachout delivers clear judgments that illuminate cultural trends while sometimes provoking debate. His introduction reflects on how twenty-first century American culture diverges from the previous century and how digital technology has transformed popular entertainment. The essays track cultural shifts over a decade and a half, revealing what American society has preserved and abandoned in its artistic evolution. Teachout combines informed analysis with distinctive style and genuine passion for cultural expression, giving readers both entertainment and serious reflection on the state of American arts.
Genres: art, american, non-fiction, criticism, 21st-century, cultural-studies
Vibes: intimate, reflective, thought-provoking
Tropes: informed-analysis, passionate-perspective
Setting: America
Period: 21st Century, Decade and a Half
464 pages · Hardcover · Yale University Press