The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character - Paperback

by David Riesman (Author), Nathan Glazer (Author), Reuel Denney (Author)

"The Lonely Crowd . . . remains not only the best-selling book by a professional sociologist in American history, but arguably one that has had the widest influence on the nation at large."--Orlando Patterson, New York Times

"As accessible as it is acute, The Lonely Crowd is indispensable reading for anyone who wishes to understand American society. After half a century, this book has lost none of its capacity to make sense of how we live."--Todd Gitlin

Considered by many to be one of the most influential books of the twentieth century, The Lonely Crowd opened exciting new dimensions in our understanding of the problems confronting the individual in twentieth-century America. Richard Sennett's new introduction illuminates the ways in which Riesman's analysis of a middle class obsessed with how others lived still resonates in the age of social media.

Author Biography

David Riesman (1909-2002) was Henry Ford II Professor of Social Sciences at Harvard University. Nathan Glazer (1923-2019) was professor of education and sociology at Harvard University. Reuel Denney (1913-1995) was professor of English and American studies at the University of Hawaii. Richard Sennett is a professor of sociology at both New York University and the London School of Economics.