The First Measured Century:: An Illustrated Guide to Trends in America, 1900-2000

by Theodore Caplow, Louis Hicks, Ben J. Wattenberg

The First Measured Century uses social data to tell us what happened to everyday Americans in the twentieth century. Whether the topic is politics, sexual behavior, economics, immigration, living arrangements, religion, longevity, or public opinion, this myth-busting popular reference work shows that the facts often turn out to be more interesting than the fiction.

Genres: History, American History, Nonfiction

308 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Corey Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A graphical overview of a variety of statistical trends between 1900 and 2000. Some things go up, some things go down, and there are also a number of recurring themes, such as the effect of the Great Depression and the Baby Boom. The drop in the murder, suicide, and traffic fatality statistics from 1940 to 1960 piqued my interest, but I would have liked a bit more depth in the analysis and interpretation of the data.

[Cat. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read with lots of charts. Very optimistic view of America. It would have been interesting to see the stats from the whole world. Apparently this was done as a show on PBS somehow; seems like it would have been really dull....

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good book, associated with a very bad work experience for me.