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Time of Passion: America, 1960-1980
Chronicles the turbulent events of two decades and demonstrates how economic and demographic forces contributed to the upheavals of the era
- GenresHistory
270 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1984
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About the author
Charles R. Morris
49 books49 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
See also:
Charles R. Morris
See also:
Charles R. Morris
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 29, 2013
NOTE: This books is 270 pages, not 28.
This is one of the most insightful books I have ever read. For reference, there are only two other books that I would rank in the same category out of hundreds. If you ever wanted to understand why America and (to some extent) the world is the way it is--economically, politically, socially, and philosophically--it is critical to understand how America "lost its innocence, and with it, its certainty" during the turbulent period, 1960-80. Many insightful books have been written about 1960s, but what makes "A Time of Passion" exceptional is that it carries the insights forward to reveal trends. These trends continue to shape our world today, a testament to the veracity of Morris' insights...and this book was published in 1986! He was also remarkable prescient in some of his predictions (the savings and loans crisis and more recently the housing bubble). The only thing that he totally missed was the Internet...but then again, few people saw that one coming (except maybe some SF writers).
This book is not an easy read because of the subject material, but it is worthwhile. Morris has a gift for explaining complex concepts well, but you will still have to chew and digest a little before moving on (particularly in the economics section). It is also a hard reality check for both conservatives and liberals. In the beginning, you may feel that Morris is unduly harsh on liberals, but later you will feel the opposite when he analyzes conservative policies. American politics yo-yos between the poles, but the more things change, the more they stay the same. Morris wrote, "The grievous sin of the war was to become involved without understanding the consequences." He was writing of Vietnam, but the same could apply to Iraq. Why?
As Morris explains, both camps suffer the same fundamental flaw: oversimplification. Their inability or unwillingness to understand the complexity of reality leads to an expectation that the system can be controlled by making the "right" adjustments. From Vietnam to Iraq, the Great Society to welfare cuts, Keynesians vs. monetarists. America is ever in search of the "fix"--the quicker the better. Is this an effective approach?
"A Time of Passion" is a penetrating, unflinching look at a critical time in American (and even world) history. 1960-80 was when America "grew up," but is the nation more mature? Have we as a people learned our lesson? By cutting to the core and exposing the underlying principles at work, Charles R. Morris has given us some of the insights necessary to effect meaningful social and political change going forward. America faces a number of complex challenges from education to healthcare. Whether we rise to meet them is still an open question.
This is one of the most insightful books I have ever read. For reference, there are only two other books that I would rank in the same category out of hundreds. If you ever wanted to understand why America and (to some extent) the world is the way it is--economically, politically, socially, and philosophically--it is critical to understand how America "lost its innocence, and with it, its certainty" during the turbulent period, 1960-80. Many insightful books have been written about 1960s, but what makes "A Time of Passion" exceptional is that it carries the insights forward to reveal trends. These trends continue to shape our world today, a testament to the veracity of Morris' insights...and this book was published in 1986! He was also remarkable prescient in some of his predictions (the savings and loans crisis and more recently the housing bubble). The only thing that he totally missed was the Internet...but then again, few people saw that one coming (except maybe some SF writers).
This book is not an easy read because of the subject material, but it is worthwhile. Morris has a gift for explaining complex concepts well, but you will still have to chew and digest a little before moving on (particularly in the economics section). It is also a hard reality check for both conservatives and liberals. In the beginning, you may feel that Morris is unduly harsh on liberals, but later you will feel the opposite when he analyzes conservative policies. American politics yo-yos between the poles, but the more things change, the more they stay the same. Morris wrote, "The grievous sin of the war was to become involved without understanding the consequences." He was writing of Vietnam, but the same could apply to Iraq. Why?
As Morris explains, both camps suffer the same fundamental flaw: oversimplification. Their inability or unwillingness to understand the complexity of reality leads to an expectation that the system can be controlled by making the "right" adjustments. From Vietnam to Iraq, the Great Society to welfare cuts, Keynesians vs. monetarists. America is ever in search of the "fix"--the quicker the better. Is this an effective approach?
"A Time of Passion" is a penetrating, unflinching look at a critical time in American (and even world) history. 1960-80 was when America "grew up," but is the nation more mature? Have we as a people learned our lesson? By cutting to the core and exposing the underlying principles at work, Charles R. Morris has given us some of the insights necessary to effect meaningful social and political change going forward. America faces a number of complex challenges from education to healthcare. Whether we rise to meet them is still an open question.
Displaying 1 of 1 review