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1959: The Year Everything Changed (2009)

by Fred Kaplan(Favorite Author)

3.64 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0470387815 (ISBN13: 9780470387818)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Wiley

review 1: This book was disappointing. His thesis is that 1959 is under appreciated as a year that was pivotal in political, social, and cultural changes in America. But 1959 itself is rather random -- most of the things he describes took place over a period of years, and he would find some sort of 1959 "hook" to make things look coherent. The book could easily have been "1958" or "1961." The idea that the 50's were not as staid and stable and that the 60's really "began in the 50's" is not particularly novel or new. I did learn some neat factoids about various artists and social movements but not much else about the book was that great. l
review 2: Every year could be considered unique in its own way, of course, but after reading this detailed look at the year 1959 (... moreactually the period 1957-1961 or so), it's amazing what a crossroads that period was. From politics, society, race, art and music, to science, electronics & computers, sex and more, we are where we are today because of dramatic changes, innovations and awakenings that happened during this period. For those who like details and linkages between supposedly disparate historical events not usually found in other history books, this book is for you. For example, the interconnections between key people in the art, music, literary and architectural scenes, and their effects on other facets of society, really brings the events to life and helps makes sense of history as a flow of interweaving decisions and actions rather than a hodgepodge of individual factoids. Enjoyable read, with chapters short enough to give time to think about each set of events as you read along. less

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