A great idea at the time : the rise, fall, and curious afterlife of the Great Books / Alex Beam.

Author/creator Beam, Alex
Format Book
Edition1st ed.
Publication InfoNew York : PublicAffairs, ©2008.
Descriptionvii, 245 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Subjects
Great books of the Western world.
Canon (Literature)--History and criticism.
Popular culture--United States. --History. --20th century.
Books and reading--Social aspects. --United States. --History. --20th century.
Books and reading--Economic aspects. --United States. --History. --20th century.
Education, Humanistic--Social aspects. --United States. --History. --20th century.
United States--Intellectual life. --20th century.

Contents The headwaters -- The odd couple -- The Great Books in the gray city -- Great Books good for you! -- The making of the books -- Faster, pussycat! Sell! Sell! -- Second verse not the same as the first -- The people of the book -- Epictetus at the cash register: Chicago and Columbia -- Hard core: St. John's College -- Among the bookies -- Dead books walking.
Abstract Explores the Great Books mania, in an entertaining and strangely poignant portrait of American popular culture on the threshold of the television age.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (p. 223-228) and index.
LCCN 2008033115
ISBN9781586484873 (alk. paper)
ISBN1586484877 (alk. paper)

Availability

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Joyner General Stacks E 169.12 .B333 2008 ✔ Available Place Hold