What do you think?
Rate this book
The First Measured Century:: An Illustrated Guide to Trends in America, 1900-2000
Most history tells the story of the past through anecdotes, but anecdotes do not always present an accurate or complete picture. There is another way to look at history. The rise of widespread, systematic data collection in the twentieth century―the first measured century―allows us to examine the past 100 years with unprecedented clarity.
Now, 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.
A special feature of The First Measured Century is original 1999 research that builds on the landmark sociological study of the 1920s, "Middletown." With survey results that span more than seven decades, The First Measured Century offers the longest timeline of consistent attitudinal data anywhere.
This panorama of the American twentieth century unfolds in a series of key trends, each explained in a one-page essay written for the general reader and illustrated by one or more vibrantly colored charts on the facing page. The First Measured Century is an essential tool for anyone interested in journalism, economics, history, political science, sociology, demography, public relations, business, the arts, or public policy.
Now, 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.
A special feature of The First Measured Century is original 1999 research that builds on the landmark sociological study of the 1920s, "Middletown." With survey results that span more than seven decades, The First Measured Century offers the longest timeline of consistent attitudinal data anywhere.
This panorama of the American twentieth century unfolds in a series of key trends, each explained in a one-page essay written for the general reader and illustrated by one or more vibrantly colored charts on the facing page. The First Measured Century is an essential tool for anyone interested in journalism, economics, history, political science, sociology, demography, public relations, business, the arts, or public policy.
308 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
28 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 15, 2009
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.
September 9, 2012
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....
August 10, 2008
A very good book, associated with a very bad work experience for me.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews