Research Catalog

Details

Description

1. xii, 191 p. : ill.; 24 cm.

Summary

1. "At the end of World War II, many Americans longed for a return to a more normal way of life after decades of depression and war. In fact, between 1945 and 1963 the idea of "normality" circulated as a keyword in almost every aspect of American culture. In Perfectly Average, Anna Creadick investigates how and why this concept reemerged as a potent homogenizing category in postwar America. Working with scientific studies, material culture, literary texts, film, fashion, and the mass media, she charts the pursuit of the "normal" through thematic chapters on the body, character, class, sexuality, and community." ""Anna Creadick discovers an extraordinary archive.

Series statement

1. Culture, politics, and the Cold War

Uniform title

1. Project Muse UPCC books.
2. Culture, politics, and the Cold War.

Subject

1. Sexual Behavior -- psychology
2. Social Control, Informal -- history
3. Body Image
4. National characteristics, American
5. Body image -- History -- United States -- 20th century
6. Middle class -- United States -- History -- 20th century
7. Sex in popular culture -- United States -- History -- 20th century
8. Community life -- United States -- History -- 20th century
9. United States -- History
10. United States -- Civilization -- 1945-
11. United States -- Social conditions -- 1945-

Genre/Form

1. History

Contents

1. Introduction : situation normal -- Model bodies, normal curves -- Normalizing the nation : the study of American character -- Passing for normal : fashioning a postwar middle class -- From queer to eternity : normalizing heterosexuality in fact and fiction -- Picture windows and Peyton Place : exposing normality in postwar communities -- Conclusion : home, normal home.

Owning institution

1. Harvard Library

Bibliography (note)

1. Includes bibliographical references and index.

Processing action (note)

1. committed to retain