The Columbia Guide to America in the 1960s (Repost)

Eminent historians Farber (Age of Great Dreams) and Bailey (Sex in the Heartland) present an accessible, state-of-the-art overview of the turbulent Sixties. Part narrative history and interpretation, part almanac, chronology, and glossary, the book offers an introspective yet entertaining investigation for those who remember the age as well as for those just being introduced to it. The most stimulating chapter includes essays by contributing scholars who assess the legacies of the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, the New Left, the women's movement, and the sexual revolution. An excellent glossary, which includes one-paragraph to one-page views of well-known political leaders and such cultural icons as Twiggy, the Beach Boys, the Beatles, and Janis Joplin, bolsters Farber's somewhat sketchy historical summary. In turn, short essays that discuss such topics as the environmental movement, significant legal cases, and religion enhance the glossary. The book concludes with a chronology, demographics, and a comprehensive annotated bibliography, which is noted more for its inclusiveness than the substance of the annotations. One small weakness in this seven-part book is that the affiliations and publications of the secondary contributors are not identified.