Why Harry met Sally
Book Description
In this illuminating exploration of American popular culture, Joshua Louis Moss reveals how Jewish-Christian romantic pairings have shaped our collective understanding of love, identity, and spiritual connection for over a century. Drawing from films, television shows, theater, and literature spanning from the 1920s to today, this scholarly work uncovers a recurring cultural pattern that reflects deeper questions about faith, belonging, and the evolution of American spirituality.
Moss traces three distinct waves of these interfaith relationships in entertainment, beginning with early twentieth-century immigrant stories that embodied the American melting pot ideal. He then examines how the rebellious New Hollywood era of the late 1960s used these pairings to challenge conservative values and explore new forms of spiritual and sexual expression. Finally, he analyzes contemporary portrayals in sitcoms, Broadway productions, and comedies that grapple with globalization's impact on traditional religious boundaries.
Through his innovative coupling theory framework, Moss demonstrates how these fictional relationships serve as more than mere entertainment. They function as cultural laboratories where audiences explore the possibilities and tensions of interfaith connection, the balance between tradition and modernity, and the ongoing negotiation between different spiritual worldviews.
For readers interested in understanding how popular culture reflects and shapes our spiritual conversations, this work offers valuable insights into the intersection of faith, identity, and contemporary American life.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~10 hours)
📄 Length: 347 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Strengthen your faith journey
- ✓ Explore Social aspects
- ✓ Explore Judaism, relations, christianity
- ✓ Explore Jews on television
- ✓ Explore Relations
- ✓ Explore Christianity
- ✓ Explore Interpersonal relations
- ✓ Explore Judaism
