Abstract
Part I of this article is a review of the various kinds of research on the American use of leisure time conducted between 1945 and 1965 with an analysis of the strength and weaknesses of each. It is evident that in many cases, sociological research efforts have examined only the surface manifestations of leisure in the United States and have failed to delve into the fundamental questions that researchers should be asking. In Part II, a short bibliography of writings is presented to illustrate this thesis.