Adcult USA: The Triumph of Advertising in American Culture

Twitchell eloquently excoriates the standard dull rants about the evils of commercialism. In true postmodern fashion, he argues that there can be no meaningful division between high art and advertising. . . . Not a single page is without a cleverly turned sentence, thought-provoking remark, or outrageous conclusion. (Wired)

What are we to make of this mixture of high and not-so-high culture? "If we find the process invigorating, you call it bricolage," writes Twitchell. "If not, you call it tasteless." (Adweek)

Twitchell is the beaming Koresh of Adcult. . . . Often amusing and illuminating, but always extreme - just like advertising. (Time Out, New York)

Twitchell has written a fine, thoughtful book demonstrating, in his own words, the "undeniable and irrepressible vitality of commercial speech." It simply has not, and will not, shut up. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

James B. Twitchell is the author of many books, including Carnival Culture: The Trashing of Taste in America, and Lead Us Into Temptation: The Triumph of American Materialism, both published by Columbia.