Stuart Blumin's look into the emergence of the American middle class is nothing more than his desire to see his own words on paper. Time after time, Blumin reiterates points that had been exhausted in previous chapters of his book. The research Blumin did for this book was extensive, but failed to capture the reader's attention. In fact, nothing in this book was written for the reader. It is full of boring diatribes that leave one feeling worse-off for reading. I had fully expected to be challenged and informed by this book, considering the author. Unfortunately, I was left with the understanding that Blumin just really likes to publish books. I would rather shave my entire body with an old cheese grater and be dipped in rubbing alcohol than have to suffer through this book again.

Those looking for mindless beach reading will not tear hungrily through this book. Thinking people who want to master a moment in our nation's past will find Stuart Blumin's in-depth analysis of the coming of America's Middle Class absolutely fascinating. They will be stimulated by Professor Blumin's brilliance and expertise as he takes his readers on an intricate tour of America's history. The author's intelligence and passion for his work permeates every word of the text, making this book not another journey into the rhetoric of inflated academics, but a truly insightful examination of a past with which we are all too unfamiliar.