Entertainment nation How music, television, film, sports, and theater shaped the United States

This lively and interesting book turns a spotlight on nearly 300 key artifacts (a fraction of the more than a million objects in the Smithsonian's collection) and sets them in social and historical context through a series of essays. Pop culture encompasses music, sports, television, theater, and film, and these objects speak eloquently, as Cohen and Troutman write, about "the past, present and future of the country." The book is organized around five themes: "harmony and discord," "signal and noise," "comedy and tragedy," "gaining and losing ground," and "heroes and villains." Within each section, items from each of the five categories are highlighted in an intriguing mix of high and low culture. For example, "harmony and discord" includes the star-spangled banner flown over Fort McHenry in 1814, a costume for Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof, Joe Louis' gloves from his first fight against Max Schmeling, and timbales played by Tito Puente. With this book in hand, those unable to visit the Smithsonian in person can enjoy these national treasures.