Search - Class : A Guide Through the American Status System

I was hoping for a witty, affectionate portrayal of American society and its strata -- what a disappointment. The author is a snob, and a nasty one at that. While funny at times and possessing some insights, his overall tone is sneering, mean-spirited, and, more than anything, seems like he's trying to over-compensate for his own class anxieties.

It's true that its references are nearly completely outdated, but the survey could have been an interesting sketch of American society at that time.

One reviewer said that it's not for the easily offended -- the problem isn't that there are offensive items or conclusions (what book on class wouldn't have to make touchy points), but rather that Fussell writes like an utterly charmless crank.

This book is a bit dated in it's points of reference, having been written in the early 80's, but it is highly informative. Fussell will make you self-conscious while reading it. I would suggest this book for anyone who considers their self a 'watcher of people'.

It's very interesting, but you should be an avid reader. The humor is sharp, but the book reads like a text-book at times. Not for the easily distracted.

Hilarious! You have to read this with a grain of salt. Not for the easily offended.