Generation on Fire: Voices of Protest from the 1960s, An Oral History

The political activism of the American counterculture during the 1960s remains a subject blighted by misconceptions and stereotypes. To many, the political thought of the 1960s is synonymous with widespread drug abuse, failed social experiments, and general irresponsibility. Despite sustained public interest, few remember that many of the freedoms and rights Americans enjoy today are the direct result of those who defiantly challenged the established order during this tumultuous period. The period frightened both mainstream and elite Americans and still does. In Generation on Fire, both well-known and overlooked political activists speak about their motives and actions during the 1960s through the present. Journalist and popular oral historian Jeff Kisseloff provides a broad and eclectic account of the political activity of the decade, as told by those individuals who led the resistance on numerous fronts: civil rights, the antiwar movement, women's liberation, the environmental movement, and gay rights. The book offers firsthand accounts of what it was like in the courtroom with the Chicago Eight, the trenches of the national football league, the jungles of Vietnam, a commune in Vermont and on a stage in Woodstock. Including never-before published interviews, Generation on Fire unapologetically contextualizes the world of the 1960s -- illuminating the ingrained social and cultural obstacles facing activists as well as the courage and shortcomings of those who defied "acceptable" conventions and mores. Generation on Fire is an invaluable resource for all who wish to understand the dramatic social, cultural, and political conflicts that arose during a period of radical change. Interviews with: Peter Berg, Rev. Daniel Berrigan, David Cline, Frank Kameny, Paul Krassner, Bernard Lafayette, Barry Levine-Doris Krause, David Meggysey, Barry Melton, Verandah Porche, Gloria Dandridge Richardson, Elsa Marley Skylark, Marilyn Webb, Lee Weiner, and Bob Zellner

About the Author :
Jeff Kisseloff, a journalist and historian, is the author of several books, including The Box: An Oral History of Television, 1929-1961.

Review :
""Almost as good as sitting down for coffee with the people that lived it."--phati'tude Literary Magazine" -- ""An interesting and at times poignant collection of interviews. A valuable addition to the growing collection of sixties memoirs. Highly recommended." --K.B. Nutter, CHOICE" -- ""An invigorating collection of 15 testimonials from counter-culturists, conscientious objectors, and artists who came of age during one of the most volatile decades in American history." --Publishers Weekly" -- ""Articulate and vivid, offering details that give a sense of just how much was at stake personally for each of these activists." --The Oral History Review" -- ""Deeply moving and complex, it will come as a revelation about an era too often reduced to caricature." --Maurice Isserman, author of The Other American: The Life of Michael Harrington" -- ""Generation on Fire was an enjoyable and inspiring read which should appeal to a wide audience." --Caroline Hoefferle, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society" -- ""Kisseloff profiles 15 people who had the courage to stand up to social injustice in the 1960s and continue to fight against racism, sexism, pollution, and other social ills.... Readers interested in the turbulent period of the 1960s and its legacy will enjoy this book." --Booklist" --