Amusing the Million: Coney Island at the Turn of the Century

by John F. Kasson

Coney Island: the name still resonates with a sense of racy Brooklyn excitement, the echo of beach-front popular entertainment before World War I. Amusing the Million examines the historical context in which Coney Island made its reputation as an amusement park and shows how America's changing social and economic conditions formed the basis of a new mass culture. Exploring it afresh in this way, John Kasson shows Coney Island no longer as the object of nostalgia but as a harbinger of modernity--and the many photographs, lithographs, engravings, and other reproductions with which he amplifies his text support this lively thesis.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, New York, School, Historical, Read For School, Sociology

132 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

John F. Kasson is a professor of history and American studies at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill and the author of Amusing the Million, among many other seminal works of cultural history. He lives in Chapel Hill.

Reviews

[Eileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for a college course, and I found some of it informative and interesting. However, what the book lacks is a deeper critique of how Coney Island also deserves some skepticism on how it contributed to capitalism, animal abuse, and exploitation of people in carnivals. It's a rather sweeping overview. There are positives that Coney Island had towards progressive culture from its previous straight-laced Victorian predecessor era, but that also doesn't mean some of its practices aren't worthy of evaluation. However, it is an interesting book and it is an era and landmark I don't see or hear talked about much these days, especially since Coney Island had such a vast amount of influence on our current culture today.

[Zackary · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a certain sort of pleasure reserved for those experiences in which one's knowledge or preconceptions of a thing are proven to be either incorrect or horrendously lacking in nuance. This book certainly produced such sentiment in me. Through exploring Coney Island by looking at how and why the location was culturally relevant in its peak years, Kasson is able to weave an interesting array of societal questions within his book. I'd recommend this work to anyone interested in the development of American consumerism, and also to those that find interest in shifting standards of propriety in the States.

[George Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not as much a history of Coney Island and its myriad amusements, but a look at why Coney Island became the center of American amusements at the turn and first decade of the 20th century. It’s a well-written and researched book that will make you understand the modern theme and amusement parks better!

[Sugarpuss O'Shea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. What a slog. If this book was any longer, I wouldn't have bothered finishing it..... There were some nuggets of information here, but it's written more like a dissertation, rather than a well, thought out book.

[Reece · Rating 4 out of 5]

John F. Kasson's Amusing the Million endeavors to understand the cultural, social, moral, and aesthetic transition of American public recreation between the nineteenth- and twentieth-century using Coney Island as a case study. Kasson's work is imaginative, well-written (seriously: many historians get bogged down and lose track of the fundamentals in their published works, but Kasson ensures that every conclusive statement to each paragraph is a concise statement that brings together the preceding passage. It is especially readable as a result), and analytical. What is the history of American public recreation and its morals? How did these original endeavors compare or contrast with that of Coney Island? And what did Coney Island mean to American leisure culture as the decadees would pound forward in an unrelenting march? Kasson, in this brief little book, inquires and answers these questions qualitatively.

Kasson makes sure to include LOADS of visual media related to the histories of Central Park, the World Columbian Exposition, and Coney Island's amusement parks. Pictures and paintings are found throughout the work and is enlightening to better understand how these radical architectural ambitions were captured and perceived by its contemporaries.

Kasson presents an early history of American leisure and its critics/ observers in Amusing the Million , one that we should all read. It is terrific, informative, brief, analytical, and imaginative through every last page.

[Bob Redmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kasson writes a neat history of Coney Island and posits its impact on these United States. In superb prose, he gives the reader a good feeling of the place, even as he outlines a critical take: Coney helped transform the nation towards a mainstream industrial economy. Subversive on its face, it ended up reinforcing the status quo: a stable and malleable workforce, who could blow off steam on the weekends, and remain accepting with their crowded urban life.

Coney set the template for the entertainment industry for the next century: movies and sports would take over the same function as Coney's influence waned in the face of the depression, competition and fires in the 30s, 40s and 50s.

Kasson manages to demonstrate an obvious soft spot for Coney and its main amusement parks (Steeplechase, Luna Park, and Dreamland) without making this a fan's treatment. Along the way we get a good overview of public planning theory from the 19th and early 20th centuries, covering Frederick Law Olmstead (designer of Central Park and the Columbian Exhibition Fairgrounds), Daniel Burnam (also of the Columbian Exposition of 1893), Maxim Gorky, and others.

With copious photos, illustrations, and notes.

*

WHY I READ THIS BOOK: Discovered it on the internet a couple years ago, while I was researching Luna Park. Started it but thought it would occupy too much of my brain, so I set it aside. Turns out it was not _that_ world-shaking, and not too much critical mumbo-jumbo either. I took it with me on Christmas break and enjoyed considering it against a central question for me: is the entertaiment industry a distraction or can it be a central part of a meaningful human existence? Posing this question on the rugged beaches of the Washington coast provides an easy answer: as the author summarizes the thoughts of Maxim Gorky upon the latter's visit to Coney in 1906, "In an age of mass culture, amusement emerged as the new opiate of the people." What if Olmstead and other "genteel" urban planners had their way? Would we have more parks and fewer midways? On the other hand, PT Barnum, George Tilyou, Frederic Thompson, and other carny entrepreneurs know a thing or two: if given social permission and a low enough ticket price, people will gladly debauch themselves with impunity. The reality of _human_ nature (let alone "regular" nature) is that the Dionysian life-force won't be restrained. Come on, then, wild tempests of the rocky Northwest coast. On New Year's eve, fireworks blasted even your starry skies.

[Dan Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enormous fun, and educational. Kasson explains how amusement parks and new electrified, industrial entertainments of the early 1900s killed the culture of edification and restraint that middle- and upper-class American "Victorians" had pushed since the 1840s. Coney Island and its three great parks — Dreamland, Luna Park, and Steeplechase Park — were the pinnacle of early-twentieth-century industrial fun. Crowds of revelers and participatory games disrupted strict social boundaries, and the sexes frolicked unchaperoned, but whites continued to objectify people of color and "freaks." So all wasn't idyllic at Coney Island. Kasson might have talked more about Americans in the 1800s who didn't buy into the "Victorian" mindset, so that the book didn't present such a binary opposition of Victorian and Coney mentalities. Still, this is a breezy book to read, it's full of pictures in a way that twenty-first-century history books are typically not, and it blends probing analysis with wacky anecdotes. A classic.

[Bryan Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book atop a pile of castoffs outside my university's history department office, and was far more entertained by it than I thought I would be. It's a brief historical/sociological account of Coney Island from its inception through its heyday at the start of the 19th century, which intersperses a wonderful collection of photos with some very salient observations about leisure time and social life at the turn of the century, as social classes and genders found themselves at play in a new environment which redefined what entertainment was, and what Americans wanted from it.

Even if you have some passing knowledge about the origins of Coney Island, an in-depth look at some of the attractions on offer is sure to surprise you (staged disasters - reenactments of historical earthquakes and fires - and attractions which took guests on a plane, and even to the moon, stand out), and, in retrospect, the relatively rapid demise of the theme parks, as the thrill wore off and people abandoned them in favor of more convenient and accessible forms of entertainment (radio, and then television), seems almost preordained. But what it a delight it would have been, to have experienced Luna Park or Dreamland during their brief reign at the center of New York's summer attractions.

[Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and sweet history of another famous cultural landmark that is more often parodied than actually critically examined. I loved all the visual material included, and found the writing style to be surprisingly engaging. It is very easy to get through in just 1-3 sittings.

To be totally honest though, I found the reasoning/criticism to have more utility towards understanding amusement parks generally, rather than Coney Island specifically. For sure, the context-specific ties of the parks to being a contrast to Olmsted/Burnham’s visions are relevant, but the deeper analysis struck me as painting a broader picture towards the amusement park institution. This was particularly true for the last chapter, where he adopts a more critical lens.

This is not to downplay the book, in fact, it is meant to do the opposite. This is a fantastic book for anyone interested in turn of the century American cultural history, or amusement parks generally. A true treat for the masses.

[Brigid · Rating 2 out of 5]

When a colleague retired last year, she emptied her office and everyone got a few things. The more notable things I received included a Kuwaiti bumper sticker, an electric pencil sharpener, and this book.

This is pretty dated and it shows in some of the academic language choices, but what I found most notable is that so much of what is said in this book by the "genteel culture" about Coney Island sounds remarkably similar to what is thrown around about internet culture. It shows, to me at least, that it isn't so much about what the "genteel reformers" are claiming, as much as its part of an endless cycle of the dominant culture taking issue with how younger people or people of lesser means use their time and view the world.

[MH · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short history of Coney Island, centering on how the parks created a new kind of leisure space for the growing industrialized working class (a carnivalesque space bounded by place rather than time), and how such a place was immediately attacked by the middle class guardians of culture. Kasson's monograph is accompanied by a ton of photographs from the period, and these pictures (and his excellent readings of them) are probably the book's biggest draw - Kasson's a good, sharp writer, and Amusing the Million works as a historical sketch and a smart cultural analysis, but nothing is as evocative as looking at these long-gone amusement parks, and these crowds of young immigrants and urbanites having the time of their lives.

[Julie Furman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A succinct and well written history of an American icon. Most people have heard of Coney Island, but I've never actually understood what made it so . . . enduring (for lack of a better word). Even my grandparents are/were too young to have experienced it, and so this was an interesting read that explained "what it's all about".

It's an older book, but worth a read. I like that it's not too preachy and includes arguments from both sides. The author really makes an effort to paint a full picture and let the readers make up their own minds. I'm interested in learning more about Coney Island and the time period.

[Aiden M. G. Grimes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very much straight forward chronological telling of the development and downfall of Coney Island, but has little to no character written into the work. Much of the writing seems forced, with Kasson not caring too much about the subject at-hand. Also, the Ebook was not greatly formatted and looked more like a Word document that had been uploaded rather than a book.

I thought much of the writing about critics talking arguing the moral standards of Coney Island was interesting, but Kasson chose not to focus too much on the critique. Just an odd book all around with no clear interest nor purpose besides being a Wikipedia alternative.

[Vince · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a book about the history of Coney Island itself but more an exploration of the concepts behind it. Why was Coney Island built? What were the inspirations for amusement parks and the societal pressures that lead to their development at the turn of the nineteenth century? What did the parks have to offer for the emerging middle class? These are the questions asked and then answered, at least to the satisfaction of the author. If you want a peek at the mindset of late Victorian/early Edwardian era entertainers and proprietors of amusement this is a good start.

[Hans Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

What fueled the popularity of Coney Island at the turn of the twentieth century? The bawdy? The adventure? John Kasson examines - in a beautifully crafted and peacefully easy read - why the name Coney Island stands undisputed in the forefront of our minds even a century after its heyday when one hears the phrase 'Amusement Park.' Lavishly illustrated, Kasson's book examines the interaction between Coney Island's revolutionary disregard for Victorian social mores and wider American society; demonstrating how this stretch of Long Island became known the work over as "Sodom by the Sea."

[Elisabeth White Shirley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read this text for my college history class. It mostly covers the cultural change of the late 1800s and how places like Coney Island had an impact and influence on the changing culture. Had I had to read this during a different semester I don’t think I would have cared all that much but considering I recently finished an art history course, I found the commentary on the architectural techniques rather fascinating. A great quick read if you like non fiction but not suited to everyone’s taste.

[Ryan Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read “Amusing the Million” as part my of course work for a grad class on the turn of the century aesthetic. I found it to be quite an enjoyable read with plenty of visual sources and the prose to support it. I only wish that the analysis was a little more in depth and the decline of Coney Island was explored more. Overall it was a great introduction on the subject, I will certainly read more on the subject.

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written as though to an extraterrestrial, this treatise has got SCIENTIST stamped all over it. It's a strange thing indeed to have the very reasons behind merriment and mirth spelled out for you in such a thoroughly matter-of-fact fashion. And the main thesis--that places such as that can change people's behavior over time--is perhaps not the thunderbolt he seems to think it is. Oh well, at least the pix offered up some fun.

[Mark Mears · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't say I agree with ALL of the author's conclusions, however there is no doubt the culture around Coney Island exemplified huge changes in the American psyche and attitudes. Was Coney Island the instigator or the result?

Either way the book introduces the reader to subjects of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries which are seldom covered and are certainly informative.

I enjoyed it.

[B.H. 521 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another college honors history book I had to read.... This was bearable in some parts, because I thought it was interesting how Kasson described the change in mass culture, but when he went into deep deep detail, it was like YAWN! I would recommend it, if are into history and want to learn the "magic of Coney Island's history".

[Chris Lemery · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, interesting read about the history, sociology, and cultural impact of the Coney Island amusement parks. Well-illustrated throughout, the images complement the text and are illuminating in their own right. It's certainly not an extensive history, so those looking for an in-depth treatment should look elsewhere.

[Kevin McAvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at the rise and fall of Coney Island amusement park.
The book also discusses how the "Sodom on the Beach" met the needs of hard working lower class immigrants by allowing them to participate in a truly American activity.
The din of laughter, action, hustle, and crowds were all a part of the unrealness of the place.
A short book only 120 pages but I enjoyed it.

[Garrett Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone interested in the history of amusement parks, entertainment in America, or New York City history. This is a long form essay with lots of great photos from 100+ years ago that really help you to know both what Coney Island was like in its heyday and also to understand its influence and eventual decline.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brief, rigorous, penetrating and well-illustrated study of Coney Island in its heyday, at the turn of the twentieth century, fitting its amusement parks into a larger cultural history of America's changing habits of recreation.

[Leslie Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked how this book isn’t just a collection of facts about the founders of the amusement parks and the rides each park included. He really dives into why the parks mattered and what explains their huge success. It reads a bit academically dry but I enjoyed it

[Zac Laury · Rating 3 out of 5]

a solid 3.5. It's pretty well written, easy to read, and overall interesting. However, I found myself skimming through it more as it's not really an aspect of history I'm super into. I will keep in mind I was assigned this book for a class and therefore might have a negative bias towards it.

[Sam Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for HIST 406 -

This was like an adult picture book and i lowkey ate it up. The ending was a WEE bit confusing but I was also skimming because midterm was the next day. Other than that, it was very thought provoking but NOT a 5 ⭐️ read for me personally.

[Vincent Micheli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrific exposition of American culture at the turn of the 20th century. I enjoyed all the strains of thought, the use of art and photography, and the fun lens of Coney Island. The ending/conclusion was a little lacking, but the historical/contextual insights were rich throughout the work.

[Kate]

January 2011
Tulsa, OK

[Liberty]

Interesting