"[An] elucidating cultural history of Hollywood’s most popular child star…a must-read." —Bill Desowitz, USA Today For four consecutive years she was the w

"[An] elucidating cultural history of Hollywood’s most popular child star…a must-read." —Bill Desowitz, USA Today For four consecutive years she was the w

Discusses the optimism and good cheer that surrounded the young, Depression-era box office star whose singing, acting, and charming smile helped revive the Amer

In the 1930s, Shirley Temple was heralded as “America’s sweetheart,” and she remains the icon of wholesome American girlhood, but Temple’s films strike

“His inquiry into the nature and significance of Coney Island . . . provides a brilliant device for understanding major transformations in American culture.�