Middletown: A Study in Modern American Culture

by Robert Staughton Lynd, Helen Merrell Lynd, Clark Wissler (Foreward)

The first of two classic studies that examined the daily life of a typical small american city--in actuality, Muncie, Indiana--in the mid-1920s, using the approach of social anthropology. Of enduring interest to students of sociology, these works inspired an acclaimed six-part television series. Index.

Genres: Sociology, History, Nonfiction, Anthropology, American History

550 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1929

About the author

Robert Staughton Lynd was an American sociologist and professor at Columbia University, New York City. Robert and his wife Helen Lynd are best known for writing the groundbreaking "Middletown" studies of Muncie, Indiana - Middletown: A Study in Contemporary American Culture (1929) and Middletown in Transition (1937), which are classics of American sociology. Muncie was the first community to be systematically examined by sociologists in the United States.

Reviews

[Evan Ash]

imagine getting mad at this book because you think something published in 1929 is "modern american culture"

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed getting a visit visit with the Muncie of my grandparents and great grandparents.

[The other John · Rating 2 out of 5]

The subtitle of this book is "A Study in Modern American Culture". That's probably what folks were looking to read about when they picked up the newly published book in 1929. In 2016, however, my wife and I were hoping to read some history. Middletown is the report of a year and a half study the Lynds and their assistants conducted in a small Midwestern city. They approached the study like cultural anthropologists, making observations on the daily life of the city's residents. (Well, the city's white residents, anyway.) The book is a bit of a dry read. While there are anecdotes woven throughout the text there are also lists and statistics. It was interesting to listen to the life and concerns of my grandparents generation. Sometimes I would chuckle at accounts, sometimes my teeth would be set on edge, like when the authors would casually mention labor conditions or the KKK as part of the community. In the end, I enjoyed having a peek at the past but was glad that its culture wasn't my "Modern America".

[Jacob Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dated, but still a good study and resource to understanding how this type of study is conducted and why this methodology is important and relevant.

[Tisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring.