City People: The Rise of Modern City Culture in Nineteenth-Century America [Paperback]

Gunther Barth (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195031946 | ISBN-13: 978-0195031942 | Publication Date: July 15, 1982

This study explains the parallel development of urbanization and modernization in late nineteenth-century American society, demonstrating how the successful features of big-city life spread across the country and transformed towns all over America.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent book for upper-level courses. It fills a real need."--Louis Kyriakoudes, University of North Carolina-Wilmington

"A thoroughly original work, laden with insights. It will be read with interest by anyone concerned with the development of the modern city."--Oscar Handlin, Harvard University

About the Author

Gunther Barth is at University of California, Berkeley.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 15, 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195031946
• ISBN-13: 978-0195031942
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #371,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Community Space, May 26, 2001

By 

vanderwal (Bethesda, MD, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: City People: The Rise of Modern City Culture in Nineteenth-Century America (Paperback)

I constantly pull City People off my shelf to reread sections. The book takes snapshots from city spaces (including the press) and shows how these community places help form an understanding of society. The public spaces examined include the department store and the ball park. Barth ties the different spaces together through the press and how each of these components help enculture new members to this society. The ball parks for example give immigrants a central forum communicate with others and a common bond to share with others. The book is writing in a light scholarly format, but remains accessible and a good easy read.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Full of Information, March 14, 2006

By 

Carolyn Severs "Vappy" (College Station, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: City People: The Rise of Modern City Culture in Nineteenth-Century America (Paperback)

I had to read City People for my history class in college this year. I have never been much of a history buff (the only reason the course was taken was because it was required), but I have to say I was fairly impressed with this book. It's full of information, which is all organized quite nicely and very easy to find with just the chapter titles, and though it goes into almost too much details now and again, keeps the language easy to understand without making it feel Barth is "talking down" to you. I'd definately reccomend this book, whether you're a "history-oriented" person or not.