The 20th century will be remembered for many things -- not least as the era in which American popular culture evolved to take a hold on the world. Written by a leading pop culture expert, the book charts the ebb arid flow of the most exciting cultural trends of the last 100 years, beginning with the birth of popular culture -- the first moving pictures and movie stars, the first mass-produced goods, the first dance crazes -- and leads the reader on a journey through the century as each of the various elements burgeoned, and developed, to become a massive influence on all aspects of 20th-century life. The various strands of pop culture are chronicled on a year-by-year basis, providing a diary of modern history from a unique standpoint. Significant news events of the day are also examined, with explanations of how they helped shape America, and the rest of the world.