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Bob Batchelor

M. Keith Booker

“A comprehensive examination of the ways in which [the series] uses American cultural memory . . . to shape . . . characters’ developments and the narrative arc.” —Journal of American Culture
 
 From the opening credits that feature a silhouette falling among skyscrapers, Mad Men transcended its role as a series about the Madison Avenue advertising industry to become a modern classic. For seven seasons, Mad Men asked viewers to contemplate the 1960s anew, reassessing the era’s stance on women’s rights, race, war, politics, and family relationships that comprise the American Dream. Set in the mid-twentieth century, the show brought to light how deeply we still are connected to that age. The result is a show that continually asks us to rethink our own families, lives, work, and ethical beliefs as we strive for a better world.

In Mad Men: A Cultural History, M. Keith Booker and Bob Batchelor offer an engaging analysis of the series, providing in-depth examinations of its many themes and nostalgic portrayals of the years from Camelot to Vietnam and beyond. Highly regarded cultural scholars and critics, Booker and Batchelor examine the show in its entirety, presenting readers with a deep but accessible exploration of the series, as well as look at its larger meanings and implications. This cultural history perspective reveals Mad Men’s critical importance as a TV series, as well as its role as a tool for helping viewers understand how they are shaped by history and culture.

 “This homage will appeal to fans and academic readers alike. . . . Recommended.” —Choice 

 “Offers a stimulating point of view on the role of mass communication products as keys to understanding our society.” —Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly

Stackpole Books

The Cultural History of Television

Mad Men: A Cultural History