Mad Men and Politics

The ten essays in Mad Men and Politics offer a number of ruminations on the various ways in which the series dramatized the seismic socio-cultural shifts of that decade ... [The book provides] structured, rigorous textual analysis of themes, characters and plot lines. * Times Literary Supplement *
[This book] is bound by an overriding interest in disentangling the series’ many thematic and narrative strands through sociopolitical analysis ... The introduction (as Chapter One) neatly sets out a stall carrying concerns of American identity, social and political life, race, gender and class, and the theme of appearance and reality. * Critical Studies in Television *
As savvy and incisive as Mad Men itself, Mad Men and Politics showcases excellent analyses of American political problems—including sexism, racism, inequality, consumption, and the meaning of America itself—from the 1960s to the present. Goren and Beail reveal Mad Men as a fascinating window into the underbelly of American politics, even while it provides viewers with the pleasures of glamour and nostalgia. * Elisabeth Anker, Assistant Professor of American Politics and Political Science, George Washington University, USA *
Few television shows deserve the hardcore, serious, academic approach as much as Mad Men. Mad Men and Politics is a worthy entry. With its diverse essays and authors, there's something for everyone. Mad Men has "changed the conversation" about everything from fashion to sexism, and it's wonderful that Mad Men and Politics has entered that conversation. * Deborah Lipp, Co-owner, Basket of Kisses *
Mad Men and Politics is further proof, as if it was needed, that the new breed of television series—and Matthew Weiner's creation in particular—does what great literature has always done: incite, delight, and provoke fascinating lines of inquiry in all directions. * Brett Martin, author of Difficult Men: Behind the Scenes of A Creative Revolution, From The Sopranos and The Wire to Mad Men and Breaking Bad *
These essays provide a series of smart takes on one of the most influential series in television history. The book shows how Mad Men's exploration of America’s past provides an insight into what we are thinking today; and it deals boldly with the big issues of power, race, sex and ideas of masculinity and femininity. Reading it extends one's appreciate of the series. * Evangeline Morphos, Associate Professor, Columbia University School of the Arts Film, USA *