“Promiscuous Knowledge is an accessible and lively account of the cultural and intellectual history of how Americans have lived with image and information since the mid-nineteenth century. It blends historical synthesis with insightful orienting narratives of eras, analyzing particular dimensions of them with verve and skill. The authors’ writing style is both conversational and backed by profound scholarly knowledge; they effectively combine high and low, like Walt Whitman, resulting in a deeply knowing and totally unpretentious voice.”