Ralph G. Giordano – författare

Throughout the 20th century, America underwent rapid change, from horses and buggies, through two world wars, and finally to the arrival of the Internet. But Americans have always needed time for relaxation and recreation. This book describes how political, economic, and cultural events influenced the history and development of the leisure pursuits of Americans of different races and ethnic backgrounds during the 20th century. Readers learn about the opening of Disney World and the ever-popular auto vacation, as well as the laws, acts, and organizations that allowed leisure time and activities to become a permanent fixture in American culture. Other topics include the significance of the Model T Ford, the development of the 40-hour work week, and the lure of reality television shows.Sections includeThe Progressive Era and ReformersThe War to End All WarsBlack Death to Black TuesdayThe Great Depression and the New DealThe Good War and the AftermathTelevision, Teenagers, and Rock 'n RollThe Jet Age and TurbulenceYuppies, Star Wars, and MTVGeneration 'X,' the Internet, and Virtual RealityOrganized chronologically, this book is ideal for high school students, college students, and the general public. It identifies the most popular games, sports, and hobbies of social groups ranging from the working class to the wealthy, along with their importance in American history. Over 51 photos illustrate the different leisure pursuits in their time periods.

A fun, fact-filled, and thoroughly researched journey of country and western dancing from the roots of Western Swing to Hank Williams, the Urban Cowboy two-step of John Travolta, and the nationwide sensation of country line dancing.Country & Western Dance turns the spotlight on a uniquely American form of dance, one that has been scuffing the floorboards for nearly a century but is often overlooked. Fun, lively, and thoroughly researched, this revealing volume tells the full story of country and western dance music from the days of Bob Wills and Tulsa to Oklahoma's Cain's Ballroom to John Travolta and Gilley's of Houston, Texas. Each chapter provides information on the historical roots of the most popular country and western dances as well as the pioneers of the music of a particular era, all in the context of changing cultural, social, political, and economic forces in America. The book also examines the seminal impact of radio, television, and the movies in helping spread the music, the moves, and the good times on the country dance floor.

A fun, fact-filled, and thoroughly researched journey of country and western dancing from the roots of Western Swing to Hank Williams, the Urban Cowboy two-step of John Travolta, and the nationwide sensation of country line dancing.Country & Western Dance turns the spotlight on a uniquely American form of dance, one that has been scuffing the floorboards for nearly a century but is often overlooked. Fun, lively, and thoroughly researched, this revealing volume tells the full story of country and western dance music from the days of Bob Wills and Tulsa to Oklahoma's Cain's Ballroom to John Travolta and Gilley's of Houston, Texas. Each chapter provides information on the historical roots of the most popular country and western dances as well as the pioneers of the music of a particular era, all in the context of changing cultural, social, political, and economic forces in America. The book also examines the seminal impact of radio, television, and the movies in helping spread the music, the moves, and the good times on the country dance floor.

In contrast to his enormous political influence, Thomas Jefferson's vast cultural contributions, especially in the realm of American architecture, remain relatively unknown to mainstream Americans. Among architectural professionals, however, Jefferson is immediately recognized as one of the most influential architects of all time. Although he was considered a "gentleman architect," Jefferson honed his skills as well as any professional. His three most notable visionary works at the Virginia State Capitol, the educational complex at the University of Virginia, and his own home at Monticello remain monumental in the field of American architecture and society. This volume reveals how Jefferson's politics and architecture coexisted and explains how he marked his political maturation through corresponding architectural monuments that reflected his ideals. Consequently, Jefferson provided America with a combined architectural and political ideology with the intention of safeguarding the future of liberty and democracy in America.

Satan in the Dance Hall explores the overwhelming popularity of social dancing and its close relationship to America''s rapidly changing society in the 1920s. The book focuses on the fiercely contested debate over the morality of social dancing in New York City, led by moral reformers and religious leaders like Rev. John Roach Straton. Fed by the firm belief that dancing was the leading cause of immorality in New York, Straton and his followers succeeded in enacting municipal regulations on social dancing and moral conduct within the more than 750 public dance halls in New York City.Ralph G. Giordano conveys an easy to read and full picture of life in the Jazz Age, incorporating important events and personalities such as the Flu Epidemic, the Scopes Monkey Trial, Prohibition, Flappers, Gangsters, Texas Guinan, and Charles Lindbergh, while simultaneously describing how social dancing was a hugely prominent cultural phenomenon, one closely intertwined with nearly every aspect of American society from the Great War to the Great Depression. With a bibliography, an index, and over 35 photos, Satan in the Dance Hall presents an interdisciplinary study of social dancing in New York City throughout the decade.

Covering significant historical and cultural moments, public figures and celebrities, art and entertainment, and technology that influenced life during the decade, this book documents the 1950s through the lens of popular culture.On the surface, the 1950s was a time of post-war prosperity and abundance. However, in spite of a relaxation of immigration policies, the "good life" in the 50s was mainly confined to white non-ethnic Americans. A new Cold War with the Soviet Union intended to contain the threat of Communism, and the resulting red scare tinged the experience of all U.S. citizens during the decade.This book examines the key trends, people, and movements of the 1950s and inspects them within a larger cultural and social context. By highlighting controversies in the decade, readers will gain a better understanding of the social values and thinking of the time. The examination of the individuals who influenced American culture in the 1950s enables students to gauge the tension between established norms of conformity and those figures that used pop culture as a broad avenue for change—either intentionally, or by accident.

Covering significant historical and cultural moments, public figures and celebrities, art and entertainment, and technology that influenced life during the decade, this book documents the 1950s through the lens of popular culture.On the surface, the 1950s was a time of post-war prosperity and abundance. However, in spite of a relaxation of immigration policies, the "good life" in the 50s was mainly confined to white non-ethnic Americans. A new Cold War with the Soviet Union intended to contain the threat of Communism, and the resulting red scare tinged the experience of all U.S. citizens during the decade.This book examines the key trends, people, and movements of the 1950s and inspects them within a larger cultural and social context. By highlighting controversies in the decade, readers will gain a better understanding of the social values and thinking of the time. The examination of the individuals who influenced American culture in the 1950s enables students to gauge the tension between established norms of conformity and those figures that used pop culture as a broad avenue for change—either intentionally, or by accident.

At the onset of the American Revolution, Britain’s North American colonies sought political independence but remained culturally dependent upon Europe. Among the many vast contributions of Thomas Jefferson, one of the most celebrated Founding Fathers, was a continuing admiration and lifelong affinity for all things Italian. Jefferson believed that the genesis of liberty followed a path from Ancient Rome, through the Italian Renaissance and Enlightenment, and toward a progressive future for the new American nation.While Jefferson’s affinity for Italy is well known, studying his role in assimilating Italian culture into the American project is a new venture. Surveying Jefferson as an Italophile reveals a wide spectrum of cultural appreciation. Ralph Giordano’s innovative new book will certainly appeal to those interested in American History and America’s emergence as a developing nation.

Italian Culture in America: The Immigrants describes the nationwide anti-Italian discrimination, and often violent retribution, experienced by millions of immigrants during the formative years of an industrializing United States, from 1880 to 1930. This carefully presented work reveals the presence of Italian culture provided by hardworking, family-oriented Italians who bravely left their homeland in search of opportunity in America. Looking to his own Italian heritage, Giordano identifies so many of the "taken for granted" aspects of American life that have distinct Italian roots. Many creative innovations include banking, radio, the telephone, aeronautics, entertainment, and even the Statue of Liberty, among dozens of others. The study establishes that negative media stereotypes created by Hollywood are misunderstood and very often purely fictitious. In contrast, Giordano unfolds a factual story documenting the growing assimilation by Italians ingrained within all aspects of American culture. Italian Culture in America: The Immigrants will certainly fascinate those interested in Italian-American history. It will also help tell the story of all immigrants who entered and settled in the United States.