It is generally accepted that the modern era has been a period of unprecedented cultural change. But what is the nature of this change and how has it impacted on our day-to-day experience? This landmark text proposes an innovative framework for understanding the shifting forms of mass culture and everyday life, and does so by examining changes in a number of important cultural spheres, from food to fashion, tourism to media representations. Vivid and ambitious, it both synthesizes a diverse literature and advances theoretical debates.