The 1950s American Home

by Diane Boucher

This title explores what life was like in the 1950s American home. An age of optimism, it is about living the American Dream and how this was achieved, changes in the home, new convenience technology, new ways of living. From Ranch House to American Modernism to affordable homes in the suburbs, this was how to live the good life in an era of unprecedented prosperity and opportunity.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Sociology, Design

64 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 10, 2013

Reviews

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a docent, and this book (which can be read in a sitting) does read like a tour of a museum. Very surface-level and brief. But it is a clear introduction to the forces that were shaping many 1950s homes in the post-war suburbs.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I also agree that I wish this book was longer.I loved the pictures!Betty Friedan was named in this book."For her 15th college reunion in 1957 Friedan conducted a survey of college graduates, focusing on their education, subsequent experiences and satisfaction with their current lives. She started publishing articles about what she called "the problem that has no name," and got passionate responses from many housewives grateful that they were not alone in experiencing this problem."This makes me want to read The Feminine Mystique which I have never read before.

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this publication is more like an outline for a book in its brevity, the author has included interesting and important information that lends credible historical background concerning what the American home in the 1950s was like and how it came to be. I learned quite a bit about the design aesthetics that defined this time period and how these aesthetics impacted ordinary people in the choices they had in where to live and how their living arrangements were laid out.

Adding greatly to the book are several color and black and white photographs that allow the reader to see actual examples of what the author discusses in her text. Along with photographs, Ms. Boucher also provides quotes from important people of the day addressing particular topics concerning what a design stood for and how it helped define over a decade of social change in the United States. Complimenting this are quotations from publications of the day giving insight to how these influential designs were impacting life for the average person.

Wisely, Ms. Boucher also mentions, although quite briefly, social injustices brought about by the rise of consumerism after World War II. One of the most glaring of these is, of course, racial inequality. One interesting aspect of the book is when the author mentions how, by the end of the 1950s, many woman grew bored of the homemaker lifestyle laid upon them by the male establishment. There is a horrifying quote from the wife of Dale Carnegie in which she states that true happiness for the "woman of the house" can only come about when her goal in life is to please the tired breadwinner when he comes home from work by maintaining a clean, healthy environment with lots of delicious food to eat. God in heaven! This absolutely makes my skin crawl! Countering this quote is another quote from Betty Friedan, author of the 1963 book, The Feminine Mystique. I was so taken by the quote, I am now wanting to read Friedan's book.

The 1950s American Home is a tiny book but the ideas contained within its pages are not misrepresented because of lack of erudition from the author. Ms. Boucher has done a commendable job in presenting an interesting explanation of the time and the aesthetic and social implications that still reverberate with us even today. I found this short book to be quite worthwhile.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but comprehensive overview of mid-century design and the suburban housewife. The book is beautifully illustrated with advertisements and photographs from the period, yet the reality of the 1950s ideal has such unavoidably sinister undercurrents. For example, how the new emphasis on nuclear family and the auto-oriented lifestyle cut women off from the networks of relatives that supported previous generations of young mothers and left them reliant on highly processed convenience foods in lieu of their mother and grandmother's traditional (and ethnic) cooking skills. Yet it was all still so appealing!

[KA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short book, which my ADHD brain appreciates, although I ultimately wanted more (especially what came after the initial surge for housing and consumer products, how those markets developed or changed, etc). There wasn’t a lot of new information here for me, but it was a nice straightforward overview with some interesting tidbits.

[Susan Janneck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly entertaining and enlightening. Makes one glad to have been a participant as a youngster during that period. Does show the seedings of what was to come and how it led to where the USA is today.

[Joseph Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Informative!

This book was very informative on life in the Suburbs. The photos that were included gave you a good idea as to what it was like living in the 50s!

[Liselotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little insight in American architecture and interior design. It uses great imagery with photos and old ads, it does lean heavy on the Life magazine quotes, but other than that, no complains!

[Pancha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short, quick read that made an interesting accidental companion to Consider the Fork: How Technology Transforms the Way We Cook and Eat.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did Halberstam's The Fifties have a photographic insert? I think it did. I enjoyed the images included in this book, but the rest of the content was so slight. I should just re-read Halberstam's wonderful book.

[Judi Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting especially to owners of 1950's homws

As an owner of a 1955 ranch in an addition of different 1950's homes, I was intrigued. This book has good info on that decades homes and I found especially Levittown interesting

[Coty · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I think that the book could have been longer, as every section felt rushed and trimmed of even more interesting information. The photos were smothering at times and decreased the quality of the read. However, I did find it to be engaging and overall a nice read.

[I · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well documented.

[Cindy May]

Mom liked the photo from Cornell Home Economics course where they encouraged women to iron sitting down.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, well illustrated, informative and interesting.