This text is a non-fiction book, concerned with the experience of Modernity. "Modernity" is defined as a shared experience of behaving, thinking and working in the modern world.
The book begins with an introduction, explaining Berman's thesis, and what he hopes to achieve in writing this text. This is then followed by an exploration of various literary texts, and their relation to modernity. He begins with an analysis of Goethe’s Faust, relating the text to modern technology and the strive for progression. He defines Faust as being a modernist text and relates the play to the concepts of dreams, love, and development.
Berman then moves onto Marxism, explaining the title of the book in this context. In this section, he argues that innovation and advancement can often be self-destructive and reconciles the concept of Marxism with modernity. Following this, Berman opens a discussion about Modernism in the streets, drawing on the work of French poets. He focuses mainly on the works of Baudelaire, a French symbolist poet who was an influence for many modernist poets. His works described the streets of Paris, and the modern advancements he observed around him. Following this, Berman discusses modernism in Petersburg, the advancement of cities and "The Modernism of Underdevelopment."
Finally, Berman closes the text on a personal note. He describes modernism in New York, the city in which he was raised. He describes the positives and negatives of modern innovations in the city, and how they impacted himself and others on a personal level.
