American Dreams in Mississippi

“A major contribution to the growing historiography of American consumerism. . . . An important work that should serve as a model for similar studies.” — Journal of American History

“By looking at what kinds of goods Mississippians bought, and how they went about it, [Ownby] opens a new window on a distinctive southern state whose people shared the American dream of material success despite the fact that so many of them did not enjoy it.” — North Carolina Historical Review

“With this well-written and thoughtful book, Ownby adds an unexpected case study to the burgeoning literature on American consumerism. . . . A sophisticated and engaging book that belongs in the history collection of every library.” — CHOICE

“Intensely researched . . . surprising and revealing. . . . A valuable work of social history that could encourage a reevaluation of many premises about the Deep South.” — Booklist

“A provocative social history that examines the consumer behavior around four powerful dreams (abundance, democracy of goods, freedom of choice, and novelty) from a multicultural perspective.” — Library Journal

“Ownby has written a wonderfully rich and suggestive book. It is a testament of his skills as a researcher, historian, and writer that he has been able to reconstruct the history of consumer culture over two centuries in ways that are so wonderfully imaginative, thorough, and fascinating.” — Daniel Horowitz, Smith College