1968

It has been called the year that changed everything, the postwar watershed in which the forces that shaped public and private life erupted, everywhere and all at once--New York, Paris, Prague, Mexico City. Beginning with the Tet Offensive in Vietnam in January and continuing through the inauguration of Richard Nixon as president the following January, 1968 witnessed the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the Democratic Convention in Chicago, and the irresistible rise of a rebellious spirit that questioned every form of authority. Each month brought a fresh wave of upheaval with shared undercurrents---deep frustrations, bold aspirations, and a growing conviction that change, whether peaceful and violent, was inevitable. Political unrest, civil rights struggles, anti-war protests, generational shifts: the causes were manifold and complex, yet their convergence was unmistakable. Alexander Bloom captures the explosive energy of a world in upheaval, illuminating how the events of 1968 were driven by youth movements, inspired by music and the subversive pull of countercultural ideals, all of which transcended borders. In Prague, young people tuned into Western radio, embracing the same sounds and messages reverberating through London and San Francisco. Styles of dress, personal expression, and radical ideals spread rapidly, fueled by an expanding media. The revolution was in fact being televised, making distant struggles immediate and personal, and turning local movements into global moments. Together, these forces made 1968 a year unlike any before or any since. For many, it felt as if the ground beneath them had shifted. Political and social transformation seemed not just possible but imminent, across the nation and around the world. Not all the promises or expectations of that year bore fruit and the backlash it generated remains with us. Still, it marked an irrevocable turning point in world history. In 1968, the world didn't just change---it shook to its core.

About the Author :
Alexander Bloom is Professor of History, Emeritus at Wheaton College. His books include Prodigal Sons: The New York Intellectuals and Their World, Takin' It to the Streets: A Sixties Reader, and Long Time Gone: Sixties America Then and Now. He was twice Fulbright Senior Lecturer in American Intellectual and Cultural History at the Universita di Roma Tre, Rome. Bloom is a frequently consulted source on the 1960s, Vietnam, antiwar and protest movements, and the Iraqi conflict. He has been a guest commentator on PBS and NPR, as well as being interviewed by the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Christian Science Monitor, the Boston Globe, and numerous American newspapers, magazines, and radio stations.

Review :
“Alexander Bloom has set a new standard in works on 1968. Deeply researched, elegantly written, conceptually innovative, and commendably accessible, this book makes that tumultuous and momentous year come alive.” -Richard H. Immerman, Director Emeritus at the Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy, Temple University “Bloom manages to combine a comprehensive look at a remarkable number of interconnected 1968 phenomena and does so in clear, concise prose that illuminates all of them. This book is certain to impress scholars as it simultaneously engages general readers.” -Eric R. Alterman, CUNY Distinguished Professor of English, Brooklyn College “Alexander Bloom brings to life one of the most tumultuous years in American history. A compelling and highly readable narrative.” -John D'Emilio, author of Making Gay History: Memoir of a Scholar Activist “In vivid prose and with close attention to key details, Bloom shines a light on the places and events of 1968 that changed the nation and the world.” -Elaine Tyler May, Regents Professor of American Studies and History University of Minnesota “Only someone who has spent a lifetime thinking about the 1960s could have written a book this powerful. Alexander Bloom blends scholarly acumen with the inviting, conversational touch of a master stylist. 1968: The Year the World Shook tells a story at once sweeping and intimate. It's a rare achievement - learned, surprising and wonderfully alive.” -John McMillian, Georgia State University Author of Smoking Typewriters: The Sixties Underground Press and the Rise of Alternative Media in America “A vibrant, compelling re-examination of a remarkable year that helps us understand the entire era.” -Christian G. Appy, Director, The Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy, Professor of History, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Alexander Bloom has set a new standard in works on 1968. Deeply researched, elegantly written, conceptually innovative, and commendably accessible, this book makes that tumultuous and momentous year come alive. Bloom manages to combine a comprehensive look at a remarkable number of interconnected 1968 phenomena and does so in clear, concise prose that illuminates all of them. This book is certain to impress scholars as it simultaneously engages general readers. Alexander Bloom brings to life one of the most tumultuous years in American history. A compelling and highly readable narrative. In vivid prose and with close attention to key details, Bloom shines a light on the places and events of 1968 that changed the nation and the world. Only someone who has spent a lifetime thinking about the 1960s could have written a book this powerful. Alexander Bloom blends scholarly acumen with the inviting, conversational touch of a master stylist. 1968: The Year the World Shook tells a story at once sweeping and intimate. It's a rare achievement - learned, surprising and wonderfully alive. A vibrant, compelling re-examination of a remarkable year that helps us understand the entire era.