The American teenager has been a source of fascination since the mid—twentieth century. The population surge after World War II resulted in an explosion of teenagers by the 1960s, and young people could not be ignored. This generation inherited the name "baby boomers," describing the largest group of teens ever to hit the United States up to that time. Since then, America crowns each new generation with a similar buzz term, and social commentators offer formulas to capture the essence of each teen set. Baby boomers were said to be action oriented, skeptical of authority, and experimental. They ushered in a sexual revolution, danced to rock and roll, and led a massive protest movement against the Vietnam War. Following the boomers came "Generation X," usually described in contrast to their predecessors. The media characterized this group as the "Me" generation, the self—absorbed...