“The Mediated World is the textbook of media studies we did not even know we needed, with its timeless, deep, conceptual exploration combined with fun content about everything from movies to journalism to public relations to advertising. Media historian David T. Z. Mindich has managed a masterful, critical accounting of how media have changed the very ways in which we think, communicate, and make meaning in our lives.”
Sue Robinson,
University of Wisconsin–Madison
“David Mindich’s The Mediated World covers issues and topics—from personal to social, from practical to theoretical, from trivial to profound, from scary to comforting—that provide a comprehensive overview of the media and how they influence both our personal lives and the condition of the world. This overview avoids traditional categories to integrate historical, theoretical, and ethical analyses into each topical discussion while encouraging readers to consider their personal reactions. Like Mindich’s earlier work, this creative book should be fun and useful, not only to communication students but also to experienced scholars.”
William E. Huntzicker,
Independent scholar and author of The Popular Press, 1833–1865
“David Mindich brilliantly connects past and present, theoretical and practical, to help readers navigate a vast and ever-changing media environment and better understand how it impacts their lives. The Mediated World is a lively and powerful introduction to media literacy.”
Janice Hume,
University of Georgia
“In The Mediated World, David Mindich’s approach brims with historical insight, cross-cultural awareness, theoretical sophistication, and contemporary relevance. This is a great undergraduate text for both media history and mass communications survey courses.”
Kim Pearson,
The College of New Jersey
“In a crowded field of introductory texts on mass communication, David Mindich offers a unique blend of the best of the few that have remained relevant. This text dares to challenge students with deep and lengthy narrative on political, social, and theoretical constructs in a writing style that is remarkably accessible. Each chapter is framed with brief anecdotes that ring true in content and context. In an era in which intro texts seem to be redundant and repetitive, it’s refreshing to see one that demands critical thinking, expands scope into youthful spheres, and tells media’s inside story in an intelligible, coherent, and unambiguous manner.”
Frederick Blevens,
Florida International University
Co-author of Twilight of Press Freedom: The Rise of People’s Journalism
“The writing is clear and engaging. The author does a good job of weaving facts into well-told stories.”
Barry Smith,
Mississippi University for Women
"The greatest asset of this book is readability for today’s college student. The storytelling style is much like a classroom lecture by a very approachable faculty member."
Andris Straumanis,
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
"This is a highly readable text with a storytelling approach that today’s students should find easy to process."
Christine Foster,
Fairleigh Dickinson University
"The greatest strength of The Mediated World is the many current examples used throughout. It also has an engaging tone that never feels like a plodding history lesson. The author makes the blossoming of communication seem more like a novel than a text."
Nancy Stillwell,
Madison Area Technical College