Ross Posnock's 'American Sophistication' Traces the Casual Elegance of Astaire, Ellington, and Grant

Ross Posnock, an emeritus professor at Columbia University, has published 'American Sophistication: How the Casual Became Cool' (Princeton University Press), an encyclopedic study of the concept of sophistication in American culture. The book spans from pre-Revolutionary America to the postmodern age, examining figures such as Fred Astaire, Duke Ellington, Cary Grant, and Leonard Bernstein. Posnock argues that American sophistication uniquely combines elegance with casualness, as reflected in the subtitle. He identifies the 1950s as the high-water mark of American sophistication, with figures like Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Susan Sontag, and Stephen Sondheim embodying urbanity. The book also discusses the role of charm, drawing on Henry James's use of the term, and contrasts American sophistication with European sprezzatura. Posnock critiques the brief presidency of John F. Kennedy as a façade, and concludes with Donald Trump as the antithesis of sophistication. The review, published in The New Yorker, praises Posnock's insights on Astaire and Ellington but notes a thinness on sophisticated women, such as Jackie Kennedy, Katharine Hepburn, Dawn Powell, and Anita Loos. The review also mentions Posnock's treatment of the Nichols-and-May comedy duo and his analysis of the 2022 film 'Tár'.