Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste

Mass.: Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1984. xiv, 613 pages: illustrations; 25 cm Fine; as new with faintest of edge-wear. . Paperback. ISBN: 9780674212800, 9780674212770

Examines differences in taste between modern French classes, discusses the relationship between culture and politics, and outlines the strategies of pretensionContents: The aristocracy of culture. The social space and its transformations. The sense of distinction. Cultural goodwill. The choice of the necessary. Culture and politics. Conclusion: classes and classifications. Postscript: towards a 'vulgar' critique of 'pure' critiques. Appendices: 1. Some reflections on the method. 2. Complementary sources. 3. Statistical data. 4. Associations: a parlour game.