Book excerpt: The first book in a multi-volume set on American fads. Gives data on the entertainers, art, movies, literature, television programs, and music that have captured national attention and followers in the past 200 years. Each of the 120 entries examines the nature of the fad and its importance to the American scene, influencing our vocabularies, fashions, leisure time pursuits, expectations about life, marketing strategies, and spending habits. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR