Major Historical Trends

The Fifties

Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be. “Remember the
good old days.” But do you? Get a copy of David
Halberstam’s The Fifties (ISBN: 0-449-90933-6)
and see how this authoritative look at the decade
compares to what you remember. Here is an excerpt
from a review in The New York Times: “Halberstam’s
thesis about the decade is that, below its placid
surface, great social ferment was occurring, a
point he demonstrates eloquently by outlining
the beginning of everything from the civil rights
movement through the sexual revolution to the rise
of rock-and-roll …. His portrait of a decade is vivid
and beguiling.”

Each session this quarter will be led by a different
member of this decades-running group. These will be
fully interactive discussions, giving the group insights
and viewpoints from people of many backgrounds,
experiences, and perspectives.

April 8: Chapters 1 through 11
April 22: Chapters 12 through 24
May 6: Chapters 25 through 35
May 20: Chapters 36 through 46

Presenter Biography

Coordinator: Ira Meislik