John Bodnar is Professor of History at Indiana University. His books include The Transplanted: A History of Immigrants in Urban America (Indiana) and Workers' World: Kinship, Community, and Protest in an Industrial Society (Johns Hopkins).

"Mr. Bodnar treats his highly controversial subject matter in a factual and evenhanded manner. And given the precariousness of nationality in recent times, interest in the subject of this important study is sure to increase."--Ray Oldenburg, The New York Times Book Review "Bodnar has made an insightful contribution to a lively area of contemporary cultural studies... Anyone interested in the social meaning of public ceremonials will want to come to terms with this thoughtful book."--Paul Boyer, American Historical Review "Bodnar is at his best in discussing varieties of public memory within ethnic groups, but the book also shines in its treatment of the post-World War II attempt to build a consensus in public memory and the rapid disintegration of that effort during the 1960s. A fine contribution to this emerging historical topic; for informed laypersons as well as specialists."--Library Journal