Inside Culture: Art and Class in the American Home
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Book Overview
Dubbed as "You Are What You Hang (or Don't)" by the New York Times, Inside Culture takes us on a tour of 160 homes in and around New York City, from affluent townhouses on Manhattan's Upper East Side and rowhouses in blue-collar Brooklyn to middle and upper-class suburbs of Long Island. The result is an unprecedented portrait of the use of cultural artifacts--fine art, photographs, religious art--in private lives. "This is a first-class addition to what we know about culture in the specific rather than the abstract."--Howard S. Becker, Contemporary Sociology "This book is well worth reading, especially in your own home."--Eugene Halton, American Journal of Sociology "David Halle's researches earned him a license amateur voyeurs would kill for. . . . Refreshing for readers outside his discipline."--Peter Campbell, London Review of Books " This book] tells us interesting things about ourselves. . . . It affords us a birds-eye view of American culture from which we can see . . . unsuspected patterns of tastes and acquisitions."--James Gardner, Washington Times " A] voyeuristic thrill. . . . Lucid and entertaining. . . . A fascinating book that will open the eyes of anyone who's ever glibly said about art, 'I know what I like.' After reading Inside Culture, they'll also know a little bit more about why."--Maureen Corrigan, New York Observer
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0226313689
ISBN13:9780226313689
Release Date:December 1996
Publisher:University of Chicago Press
Length:278 Pages
Weight:1.05 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 6.8" x 9.5"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
Excellent dissection of artistic taste among social classes
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
This book is a fascinating documentary of art in modern american homes of all races, religions, and socioeconomic classes. Detailed, in-depth, and filled with amazing observation, You will realize why abstract art is frowned upon by the lower classes, why religious crosses and art are virtually absent from the upper class homes, why african/primitive art is found in both black and white neighborhoods, why landscapes are so popular among all classes, and other sociological phenomena on artistic taste and design in today's homes. Halle and his team have backed up all their findings with stats and references, so it's very handy if you're doing research. Halle was one of my professors at UCLA who constantly amazed his classes with his knowledge on art and society; discussing the merits of Mies and Le Corbusier. Although this may be considered a university course book, it does not read like one. Instead it reads pleasurably and smoothly like a good novel--I myself curl up with it as a comforting, interesting read. If you are interested in the psychology of design and art on today's society, take a moment to read this. I still read this book over and over again, and always finish feeling fascinated and enlightened.
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