The Middle West: Its Meaning in American Culture

In this thoughtful book, cultural geographer James R. Shortridge offers a historical probe into the "idea" of the Middle West. By exploring what this term originally meant and how it has changed over the past 150 years, he presents a fascinating look at the question of regional identity and its place in the collective consciousness. A work of uncoventional geography based on extensive research in popular literature, this volume examines the meaning, essence, character--the important intagibles of place not captured by statistical studies--and explores the intimate connections between the notion of pastoralism and the definition of the Middle West. Winner of the Association of American Geographers' John Brinckerhoff Jackson Prize.James R. Shortridge is the author of 'The Middle West: Its Meaning in American Culture' with ISBN 9780700603886 and ISBN 0700603883.