Watching Television Come of Age: The New York Times Reviews by Jack Gould

Providing video companionship for isolated housewives, afternoon babysitting for children, and nonstop evening entertainment for the whole family, television revolutionized American society in the post-World War II years. Helping the first TV generation make sense of the new medium was the mission of Jack Gould, television critic of The New York Times from 1947 to 1972. In columns noteworthy for crisp writing, pointed insights, and fair judgment, he highlighted both the untapped possibilities and the imminent perils of television, becoming the conscience of the industry for many people. In this book, historian Lewis L. Gould, Jack Gould's son, collects over seventy of his father's best columns. Grouped topically, they cover a wide range of issues, including the Golden Age of television drama, McCarthy-era blacklisting, the rise and fall of Edward R. Murrow, quiz show scandals, children's programming, and the impact of television on American life and of television criticism on the medium itself. Lewis Gould also supplies a brief biography of his father that assesses his influence on the evolution of television, as well as prefaces to each section.

Author: Lewis L. Gould
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Published: 11/01/2002
Pages: 266
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.84lbs
Size: 9.16h x 5.96w x 0.64d
ISBN: 9780292728462

Review Citation(s):
Choice 03/01/2003 pg. 1176

About the Author
LEWIS L. GOULD has appeared on Howdy Doody, The CBS Morning News, and The ABC World News Tonight. A resident of Austin, Texas, he is an internationally recognized scholar of American political history and commentator on the role of First Ladies.