The Kid of Coney Island: Fred Thompson and the Rise of American Amusements

by Woody Register

Description

A generation before Walt Disney, Fred Thompson was the ""boy-wonder"" of American popular amusements. At the turn of the 20th century, Thompson's entrepreneurial drive made him into an entertainment mogul who helped to define the popular culture of his day. In this lively biography, cultural historian Woody Register tells the remarkable story of Thompson and examines the transformation of commerce and entertainment as American society moved into an era of mass marketing and large-scale show more corporate enterprise. show less

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AmberTheHuman 207 reviews

Quite enjoyable! I lost track of it for a bit, but I came back to it after the holidays. If you're interested in consumerism at all, or Peter Pan Syndrome, or just US history, this is the book for you. At the beginning, Register admits that there is not enough info about Thomson's life to create a whole biography, so he will be supplementing it with information about the time, place and situations. Shout out to Adam who gave the book. Great choice!

Aug 30, 2013

ShawnMarie 248 reviews

I haven't read this one yet so a 3 star review is the default. Part of my Amusement Park collection.

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