{"product_id":"9781474294508","title":"The Roadhouse Comes to Britain : Drinking, Driving and Dancing, 1925-1955","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThe Roadhouse Comes to Britain\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): David W. Gutzke, Michael John Law\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the first book to examine the cultural phenomenon of the roadhouse in mid 20th-century Britain and its impact on British leisure. The term 'roadhouse' was used in varied ways in the 1930s, from small roadside tearooms to enormous establishments on the outskirts of major cities. These roadhouses were an important component in the transformation of leisure in the 1930s and beyond, reflecting the increased levels of social and physical mobility brought  about by new technologies, suburbanisation and the influence of American culture.   \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRoadhouses attracted wealthy Londoners excited by the prospect of a high-speed run into the countryside. During the day, they offered family activities such as tennis, archery, horse riding and swimming. At night, they provided all the fun of the West End with dancing, classy restaurants, cabaret, swimsuit parades and dance demonstrations, subverting the licensing laws to provide all-night drinking. Rumours abounded of prostitution and transgressive behaviour in the car park. Roadhouses formed  part  of  an  imaginary  America  in  suburban  Britain that was promoted by the popularity of American movies,  music  and  fiction, providing a pastiche of the American country club. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile much work has been done on the Soho nightclubs of the 1930s, the roadhouse has been largely ignored. Michael John Law and David Gutzke fill this gap in the literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of the roadhouse's cultural meaning, demonstrating how its Americanisation was interpreted for British consumers. This original and engaging study will be fascinating reading for all scholars of 20th-century British cultural history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“One of the great strengths of the volume is the richness of the numerous illustrations and the use of novels, short stories, films, plays, roadhouse newsreels, and newspaper and magazine articles. The sources make this a compelling account of the short life of the roadhouse as well as a significant and overlooked part of interwar domestic tourism and the role of the car in the development of middle-class leisure. This is a highly readable volume that will be very useful in the classroom. The book will also appeal to a wide audience, including scholars of twentieth-century British and American popular culture.” –\u003ci\u003e American Historical Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This interesting and important study adds significantly to the historical and anthropological literature on alcohol and drinking spaces in society … Roadhouses were so deeply ingrained in the romantic imagination of British high society during the interwar years that they helped define a generation. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels\/libraries.” – \u003ci\u003eCHOICE\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This fascinating book offers a vivid insight into a neglected subject of the interwar period.\" - \u003ci\u003eBrewery History\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781474294508\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Bloomsbury Academic","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":40619684823246,"sku":"9781474294508","price":135.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781474294508","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}