For four decades, Herbert J. Gans has been one of the leading sociologists in the United States. His writing on American communities, culture, and ethnicity have been widely read here and elsewhere, and his incisive analyses of antipoverty policy and other social policies have been influential in many policy analysis offices and government agencies. This new collection of Gans's scholarly and other writings, including excerpts from his most prominent ethnographic books, The Urban Villagers, The Levittowners, and Deciding What's News, will be a thought-provoking resource for social scientists, students, and all those who care about America.

"The book is an excellent celebration of a reflective and critical sociological life journey which takes on broad old and new topics and influences." - Network

"This collection provides an excellent retrospective of Gans's work; it is also a useful supplement to introductory sociology texts. Gans's engagement with critical intellectual and scholarly issues, his interest in public policy, and his coherent discussions of theory make this book especially accessible for undergraduates." - Contemporary Sociology