The Hippies: A 1960s History

This book was a required read for a history course that I took, and I really enjoyed learning so much about a decade that I lived through, that I thought I knew enough about, yet there was so much more to know and understand. The author, my professor, Dr. Moretta covers it all it beautiful detail. Hippies were so cool to me as a kid, so it was interesting to revisit the hippie lifestyle through the eyes of adulthood. You get the good, bad, and the ugly in this book. And there was lots of ugly. But I reveled in reading it. The chapter on commune life was fascinating. The coverage of the 3 most significant outdoor concerts; Monterrey Pop, Woodstock, and Altamont festivals were illustrated such that I wanted to go back in time to experience them first hand. Thank God for YouTube. I was going back and forth between reading the book to watching old video footage of those concerts. That, and the coverage of the Chicago Dem Convention and riots from 1968, too. Such an unbelievable event.I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this book, and would highly recommend it for anyone interested in this era.

First purchased this book in Kindle Format--I found the book so well-written, well-argued, balanced, and important that I bought the print version as well. This book is suitable for all types of readers--academics, teachers, and the general public. Students of modern American history would be well-served to read this book. The author shows us just how important the movement was in American history. Too often dismissed as a brief period when youthful malcontents turned to blue jeans, long hair, psychedelic drugs, casual sex, hippie communes, and rock music in other works on the 60s, Moretta shows us how these young men and women were so much more than mere symbols of the distance separating youth from the world of conventional adulthood. In fourteen carefully crafted chapters, the author takes readers from the Beats of the 50s during the culture of consensus to the Summer of Love, to Woodstock, Altamont, Manson, and more. Every chapter on its own is a pleasure to read and offers one discovery and insight after another. Taken as a whole, the book remains true to the author's purpose--reminding us that although "the hip dream ended almost before it began...[it] shifted the foundations of American post-war culture." Those who come to this book already understanding the importance of the counterculture will find all new depths to mine. Those who come to this book thinking the movement was nothing more than a victim of its own excesses--that it had no impact on the issues facing the nation still today--will be thoroughly disabused of that notion. Yes, the movement had its flaws, its adverse effects, which the author reveals fully, but it also left us a significant legacy that we all too often ignore. Moretta is at is his best in showing the myriad ways in which this movement impacted society and its culture. One cannot read this book and not see the legacy of the hippies revealed in so very many aspects of society still today.

This book is quite lengthy but comprehensive. It's not a page turner, though. It took me many weeks to get through it, because I felt like I was reading a textbook for a college course. Don't get me wrong, the information is interesting and probably not available as compiled in this book elsewhere, and some chapters held my interest more than others. The book covers the 1950's Beat movement, sex, drugs, and rock and roll, all the way up to the beginnings of the Haight-Ashbury Hippie movement in 1965 through with Woodstock. It also shows how the Hippie movement influenced American society in general during the 60's and 70's. I would recommend this book if you want a complete history of the movement, but if you want short and entertaining anecdotes of the hippie lifestyle, look elsewhere.

I had to read this book for my history class this semester and after finishing it all I can say is wow. I'll admit that at first I was overwhelmed at the idea of having to read a 300+ page book in addition to the textbook, but once I started reading The Hippies it no longer felt like homework. I instantly became captivated and found myself staying up late to finish chapters because I just couldn't put it down. I've always been fascinated by the 60s era but in the most stereotypical ways--acid, Woodstock, the Beatles etc.This book dives deep into the root's of the counterculture, rock and roll, communal living, the Yippies, The Beats, the Monterey Pop Festival (after reading that chapter I highly recommend watching D.A. Pennebaker's documentary titled Monterey Pop), and so much more.I could go on and on about everything I loved in this book. If you think you know all there is know about the 60's, you don't. Read this book, and then you will.Don't think, just buy.

One of the best books I've read in many years. The Hippies provides a historic analysis of a pivotal time in American history. I purchased multiple copies of this book to give as gifts to friends and colleagues. Must buy for anyone interested in recent American history. Look for other books by this author as well. He is an amazing author.

I haven’t finished the book but I have found it very interesting and growing up in that period there is so much more than I didn’t realize was happening. I am finding the book very interesting a great history of that time period

Great book. A lot of information but I am an info-junkie. Born in Early 50s I lived some of it but since I was raised in the South, was a long way from the Haight and Marrakech. Many of the ideas made it to my small rural town but it was difficult to put into practice considering the surroundings. In the interest of full disclosure, I met this author at an exercise class. Great guy.

Really good book. Lots of detail, fun to read, well documented. It covers hippie events, leaders, fashion, beliefs, and much more.