The Good Life: The Meaning of Success for the American Middle Class

by Loren Baritz

Probes the historical, economic, and cultural context of the middle class, showing how immigration and settlement patterns contributed to its growth, and investigates the middle class preoccupation with success, youth, material wealth, and love

Genres: History

361 pages, Paperback

First published December 24, 1988

About the author

A specialist in twentieth-century intellectual and cultural history, Loren Baritz has served as chairman of the Department of History at the University of Rochester, provost and acting chancellor at the State University of New York, and provost at the University of Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

The roots of the American middle class are traced through time to the experiences of various immigrant groups and national insecurity. I feel like I learned a decent amount from reading this (the more things change the more they stay the same!), but I'm having a hell of a time remembering what exactly it was I learned.