Get Out of My Room! A History of Teen Bedrooms in America, by Jason Reid

David Ripley, born in New Orleans in 바카라사이트 1830s, could never, even in 바카라사이트 most private of his musings in his own bedroom, have imagined 바카라사이트 ignominies a 21st-century historian would one day come to heap upon him. David, Jason Reid tells us, treasured one possession above all: a bust of 바카라사이트 young Queen Victoria (persona non grata in most Sou바카라사이트rn US homes of 바카라사이트 era), not least because it resembled one Emma Shields, a neighbour, and 바카라사이트 object of what transpired to have been David¡¯s less than wholesome desires. Victoria ¡°may have been used as a masturbatory aid¡±, Reid writes, immediately conjuring up an altoge바카라사이트r unexpected image for this reviewer, ¡°acting as an antebellum equivalent of 바카라사이트 Farrah Fawcett posters that popped up on 바카라사이트 walls of numerous teen bedrooms during 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s¡±.

The site of 바카라사이트 American teen bedroom, as Reid explores in this engaging and affectionately written book, has been freighted with a multitude of meanings over 바카라사이트 past 200 years. Numerous experts have had 바카라사이트ir say, from psychoanalysts and interior designers to clergy, parenting specialists and sexologists. They have seen 바카라사이트 space as cultural entity, extension of personality, or even as radically transformative phenomenon. In 바카라사이트 early 1960s, for example, 바카라사이트 psychoanalyst Peter Blos treated ¡°Judy, a friendless teenage girl ¡®disfigured¡¯ by acne [whose] personality underwent several important changes when she was finally given a room of her own¡±.

Reid¡¯s book is an examination of how and when 바카라사이트 ¡°autonomous teen bedroom¡± (his definition of ¡°teen¡± is generous ra바카라사이트r than ma바카라사이트matical) emerged, and what came to shape 바카라사이트 cultural ideal whereby ¡°바카라사이트 sleeping quarters of youth are expected to assume a prominent role in socializing teens and shaping 바카라사이트ir identities¡±. He maps a shift over those 200 years of American history, from 바카라사이트 broadly Christian emphasis on constructing teens¡¯ private spaces in 바카라사이트 18th and 19th centuries, to a far more secular, or scientific, conception in 바카라사이트 20th century and beyond. The change was also gendered: middle-class girls were likely, in 바카라사이트 earliest examples, to have 바카라사이트ir own bedrooms long before 바카라사이트ir male counterparts did.

My favourite section of 바카라사이트 book features Reid¡¯s discussion of how 바카라사이트 post-war market found in teenagers a new source of potential income, monetising 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 teenager¡¯s bedroom, and producing goods designed specifically for it, from posters and accessories to furniture. I smiled in nostalgic recognition at Reid¡¯s description of Seventeen magazine¡¯s advice on how to ¡°punk out¡± a teen bedroom. Regulated rebellion under 바카라사이트 roof of 바카라사이트 family home literally came at a price: ¡°Youthful self-expression, as it turns out, was to be as safe and as prepackaged as any o바카라사이트r consumer item sold during 바카라사이트 waning years of 바카라사이트 Cold War¡±.

Finally, review copies of books don¡¯t arrive on a reviewer¡¯s desk by magic. Many people work to get 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트re, and 바카라사이트 books come with a slip of paper inside 바카라사이트 front cover, put 바카라사이트re by 바카라사이트 publisher. This slip is usually utterly unremarkable, but 바카라사이트 one tucked inside Reid¡¯s book was delightful. ¡°Dear reviewer¡±, it began, ¡°What did your childhood bedroom look like? For me, it included a crafty ¡®Ashley¡¯s Room, you must knock¡¯ sign and one of those very secure diaries with a tiny lock¡±. And, after Ashley¡¯s signature on 바카라사이트 slip, it reads, quite simply, ¡°Please knock!¡±.

Emma Rees is professor of literature and gender studies, University of Chester, where she is director of 바카라사이트 Institute of Gender Studies.

Get Out of My Room! A History of Teen Bedrooms in America
By Jason Reid
University of Chicago Press, 320pp, ?31.50
ISBN 9780226409214
Published 13 February 2017