The Spirit of '76: From Politics to Technology, the Year America Went Rock & Roll

by David Browne

From the author of the acclaimed 1970 chronicle "Fire and Rain," an eye-opening look at yet another pivotal moment in American history—1976, the year the spirit of rock & roll re-energized the country.By the mid ’70s, America was stuck in a post-Watergate malaise. Then came Jimmy Carter, "Rocky," the Ramones, Apple computers, and a slew of awards for a new late-night series called "Saturday Night Live." Each of those milestones arrived in 1976--and marked the moment the counterculture became the culture. Based on extensive research and interviews with some of the participants, Browne—a contributing editor at Rolling Stone and author of "Fire and Rain" and "Dream Brother"—vividly chronicles the year America went rock & roll in everything from politics to technology. Spirit of ’76 will make you think anew about an under-appreciated moment in the country--and will make you wonder if its optimistic, can-do spirit of reinvention and renewal will ever come again. About the David Browne is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone and Men's Journal. He is the author of "Fire and The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY and the Lost Story of 1970," dubbed "one of the most entertaining and informative books of the year" by NPR. He is also the author of "Dream Brother," a biography of the late musicians Jeff and Tim Buckley; "Goodbye 20th Century," a biography of the pioneering alternative band Sonic Youth; and "Amped," a history of extreme sports. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, New York, Wired, Entertainment Weekly, Huffington Post, and other outlets. In 1976, he attended Clifton High School in Clifton, New Jersey, and he currently lives in New York City.Cover design by Hannah Perrine Mode

Genres: History, Music, Research, Nonfiction

31 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 20, 2014

About the author

music journalist

Reviews

[Kevin]

Overall an excellent short look at the highlights of the 1970s. It fits nicely into some of the other readings I've been doing on the cultural and political ideas of this era, like Will Hermes' "Love Goes to the Buildings on Fire" and Jonathan Mahler's "Ladies and Gentlemen the Bronx is Burning."
David Browne hits the highlights and adds the context. The shortness of this book (which honestly felt like a long academic article more than a book) leaves a lot of ideas and key points on the table, but I'm not sure a complete look at this period was the plan here. I appreciate how Browne connects music, comedy, and politics to show a cultural 70s that is unique from the 60s and 80s and yet important to the understanding of both as part of a continuation.
The only glaring negative is the whiteness of this lens. In an era when hip-hop and salsa were imprinting themselves on American culture and fitting into the counterculture argument Browne puts forth, it just seems an error of editorial judgment not at least to give these topics or the continued push for civil rights began in the 1950s and 1960s at least a few pages.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short look at the year 1976. It was the year of Rocky Balboa, the election of Jimmy Carter, the beginning of Apple Computer, and the year that Saturday Night Live went from a late-night lampoon show to an award-winning icon of late-night television. The author finely weaves all of these iconic moments in history into a nice overview of the mid-70s.

[J.J. Lair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was alive in 1976 but too young to really absorb it. I learned a lot about the year.
It also showed President Carter in a new light. He's often shown as not-competant, but here he's almost radical. Interesting viewpoint.
The examples of other events went off track from time to time and it lost focus, but it was a good read.
Quality short novella.

[Korrie Scales · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it

I needed something fun and easy while rocking my baby to sleep, some nights I’ll continue to read even though she was knocked out in my lap.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a book really, more of an essay. It's well written, but I think it's fair to say that I was looking for a little more insight. The argument can certainly be made that 1976 was a watershed year, but it would require a much more expansive explanation. Perhaps Mr. Browne intends to expand this essay into a full-length book.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wonder how he would write about 86 and 96 and the world after 9-11. I was 11 in 1976 as so I lived in that generation how the world has changed and I am not sure for the better.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading about the year of my birth, 1976. This was an essay about that watershed year, but I think I needed a bit of a deeper dive.

[Jackie McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun quick cultural history of 1976 (the year Yours Truly took her first trip around the sun) ;)