by David Frum
First published 2000
The 1970s reshaped America more than any decade since industrialization began. David Frum challenges the common belief that the 1960s created modern America. He argues the quiet 1970s actually forged the country we know today. The decade produced a nation less confident and literate, yet more competitive and expressive. Americans abandoned Maxwell House for Sumatran cappuccinos. Gary Cooper's stoic masculinity gave way to Clint Eastwood crying on screen. Women started driving buses while men wore khakis to work. Children flooded daycare centers as Protestant churches lost their grip. Frum examines political events, opinion polls, films, music, and advertising to map this cultural shift. The transformation touched economics, sexuality, manners, and social relations. His analysis reveals how one decade altered the American personality forever.
Genres: history, 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century, cultural-studies, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-analysis, social-commentary
Setting: America
Period: 1970s
448 pages · Hardcover · Random House Canada