From Front Porch to Back Seat: Courtship in Twentieth-Century America (Paperback)

~ (Author) "One day, the 1920s story goes, a young man asked a city girl if he might call on her..." (more)
Key Phrases: going steady complex, college marriage courses, promiscuous popularity, World War, Senior Scholastic, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Whether or not we've come a long way since then, this engaging study of courtship shows that at least half the fun is in reading about getting there." -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

"As entertaining as it is informative. Bailey documents sources from Margaret Mead to advertising's hokey hype in her comprehensive analysis of the rituals of American amore, exploring the themes of 'control, competition, consumption, the sexual economy, etiquette and gender.'." -- Booklist

"A fascinating study of an important part of our recent past." -- The Nation

Product Description

"Whether or not we've come a long way since then, this engaging study of courtship shows that at least half the fun is in reading about getting there." -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (August 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801839351
• ISBN-13: 978-0801839351
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #73,630 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Story--But Please, an Updated Version!, June 20, 2000

By A Customer

I'm a college professor and I use this book in my classes all the time. Students (male and female) love it, and they remember it. Many of them give the book to their parents to read. Bailey is an engaging writer who employs a wide variety of sources to demonstrate the path from calling to dating to going steady, and the changing meanings of those words. An historian, Bailey provides helpful social and cultural contexts. It's useful gender history. But what the book really needs is an update that would take this topic to the present. The Epilogue doesn't explain enough about dating nowadays, and thus the earlier chapters are best.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Historical Perspective, April 11, 2000

By	Crystal (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

Ms Bailey writes of 20th century courtship from the 1920's or so onwards. Discussing those elements that changed social conventions and permissible actions (such as the car) she vividly discusses the evolution of courtship, and with it sexuality throughtout the 20th century. A fun read for kicks, and a fabulous resource for historians researching the evolution in dating.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why 19th Century Courtship Should be 21st Century Standard!, March 23, 2000

By	martums (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

A must-read for those undertaking courtship! Includes both excellent background, and a fresh perspective. Beth L. Bailey writes: "In contemporary America, living together has become a conventional step in the path to marriage and an acceptable arrangement on its own terms. Sexual intercourse is a conventionally assumed part of long-term relationships (even among teenagers, for better or worse), and a clear possibility on first dates." In addition to covering some of the biblical truths of courtship, Beth L. Bailey takes you on a journey on the not-too-distant history of courtship, how it has changed--and how vastly different it is from the dating 'norm' of today. (Excellent books on this vastly under-written subject also include Elizabeth Elliott's "Quest for Love," and Joshua Harris' "I Kissed Dating Goodbye"). An entertaining & inspiring read--And an excellent gift for young adults.