Captains Of Consciousness Advertising And The Social Roots Of The Consumer Culture | 
pickEwen traces the roots of consumer culture in the United States from the advent of mass production to advertising in order to stimulate demand for mass produced goods. He then argues how the consumer culture disrupted social stability, family roles, feminism and the labor movement among other aspects of society. Although I consider this an important read, it's very academic and not a leisurely stroll through social history.