The Making of Middlebrow Culture

Joan Shelley Rubin's The Making of Middlebrow Culture is an interesting but occasionally dry exploration of a fascinating subject — the ways in which highbrow culture was popularized in the 20th century through book-of-the-month clubs, literary radio programs, newspaper book review sections, and (in one of the strongest chapters) the creation of "Great Books" programs. Rubin profiles the key firms and people involved in establishing, marketing, and profiting from the introduction of culture to the masses, with a thoughtful consideration as to whether these were positive or negative developments.