Book 37: Adcult USA: The Triumph of Advertising in American Culture

NUMBER: 37
TITLE: Adcult USA: The Triumph of Advertising in American Culture
AUTHOR: James B. Twitchell
STARTED: March 30, 2006
FINISHED: April 14, 2006
PAGES: 279
GENRE: Media Studies

FIRST SENTENCE: I have always loved advertising.

SUMMARY: [From barnesandnoble.com A spirited exploration of the culture created when advertising becomes not just a central institution, but the central institution.

REASON FOR READING: Assigned in MDIA 524: The Rhetoric of Advertising

THOUGHTS: Finally, a book that describes how pervasive advertising is in modern American culture. Twitchell takes a well known subject and topic and finally lays it all on the line. It was nice to see someone just state how controlling advertising is in American culture. The scariest thought, however, is that Twitchell seems to defend Adcult in his writing. I don't think I'm very comfortable with advertising controlling my life.

MISCELLANEOUS: I bet you $20 you can name three advertising lines and not the capitals of Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and Norway.

KEEP/SHARE/CRINGE(?): Selling back at the end of the semester
RATING: 6/10 [Good]

CR: Yesterday & Forever by Victoria Alexander
RN: A Deal with the Devil by Liz Carlyle

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