From the Cadillac to the Apple Mac, the skyscraper to the Tiffany lamp, the world in which we live has been profoundly influenced for over a century by the work of American designers. But the product is only the end of a story that is full of fascinating questions. What has been the social and cultural role of design in American society? To produce useful things that consumers need? Or to persuade them to buy things they don't need? Where does the designer stand in all of this? And how has the role of design in America changed over time, since the early days of the young Republic?
Jeffrey...