BOOK BRIEF

The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Ideal in America

Leo Marx
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The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Ideal in America

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2000

Book Brief

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Leo Marx

The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Ideal in America

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2000
Book Details
Pages

430

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

America • 19th century

Publication Year

2000

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

In The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Ideal in America, Leo Marx explores the tension between technological progress and the pastoral ideal in American literature and culture. Through analysis of key texts, he examines how individuals' interactions with technology shape their perceptions of nature, revealing a complex relationship between industrial growth and rural landscapes.

Contemplative

Informative

Nostalgic

Reviews & Readership

4.3

643 ratings

76%

Loved it

18%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Leo Marx's The Machine in the Garden offers a compelling analysis of the tension between technology and pastoral ideals in America. Praised for its insightful cultural critique and historical depth, it occasionally struggles with dense prose. Overall, it remains a seminal work for understanding American literary and cultural landscapes.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Ideal in America?

Readers who enjoy The Machine in the Garden by Leo Marx are likely interested in American cultural studies, history, and the interplay between technology and nature. Comparable works include Henry Nash Smith's Virgin Land and Roderick Nash's Wilderness and the American Mind.

4.3

643 ratings

76%

Loved it

18%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

430

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

America • 19th century

Publication Year

2000

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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