1957: The Year That Launched the American Future

Description

In 1957, America turned its back on its earlier self and jumped headlong into the nation it has become today. From Sputnik and the beginning of the space race to Little Richard and the underappreciated influence of rock n' roll in bringing blacks and whites closer together, to President Eisenhower's Interstate Highway Act, which forever changed the landscape, 1957 represents the year when all of the energy and anxiety that had followed the end of World War II exploded. In compelling stories from politics, pop culture, business, and the media, Eric Burns captures the excitement of a headspinning year and the lingering fallout that continues to resonate seven decades later. For baby boomers seeking to relive their formative years or readers seeking a window into midcentury America, 1957 provides a highly readable tour through one of the most fascinating years in American history. Contents Prologue Sputnik 1 PART ONE 1 The Mad Bomber of New York 2 The Committee 3 From Apalachin to Havana PART TWO 4 Highways to Everywhere 5 The Design of an Era 6 The Vagina in the Grille 7 Highways to Nowhere PART THREE 8 Blacks against Whites 9 Whites with Blacks PART FOUR 10 Moving Stories 11 The Man Who Believed in God 12 The Woman Who Believed in Man 13 Gang Wars on Broadway 14 The Youngest Monster PART FIVE 15 The Successes of Failure 16 Muttnik 17 Kaputnik Epilogue The Return of the Preacher Man Acknowledgments Bibliography Notes Index