US history gets the star treatment with this essential guide to the
Smithsonian's first permanent exhibition on pop culture, featuring
objects like Muhammad Ali's training robe, and Leonard Nimoy's Spock
ears, and Dorothy's ruby slippers, oh my!
Entertainment Nation is a star-studded and richly illustrated book
celebrating the best of 150 years of US pop culture. The book presents
nearly 300 breathtaking Smithsonian objects from the first long-term
exhibition on popular culture, and features contributors like Billie
Jean King, Ali Wong, and Jill Lepore. Entertainment Nation offers the
glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the passion and grit of star athletes,
the limelight of the music industry and theater, and the amazing
entertainers we love to watch, with dazzling cultural touchstones like:
Music and Theater
Film and Television
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Captain America's shield
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Mr. Roger's sweater
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Seinfeld's puffy shirt
Sports
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Mia Hamm's Olympic jersey
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Kristi Yamaguchi's ice skates
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Babe Ruth autographed baseball
The book includes essays that contextualize the objects' place in time
and history, exploring how entertainment sparks conversation and debate,
reveals social tensions and political power, and dictates who gets to be
the hero or the villain. Taking a nostalgic look at old favorites and an
exhilarating glimpse of contemporary attractions, Entertainment Nation
is a love letter to pop culture.
