The Haight-Ashbury: A History
by Charles Perry
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Book Summary Information
Author: Charles PerryIntroduction: Bob Weir
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-09-01
ISBN: 193295855X
Number of pages: 294
Publisher: Wenner
Book Reviews of The Haight-Ashbury: A History
Book Review: What Was That?
Summary: 5 Stars
From the beginning to the end, all two years of it, Perry puts the Haight-Ashbury in context of the times. He also details the sub-cultures in the Haight that made it--whatever it was--all possible. Owsley's LSD, the Diggers, Hell's Angels, the Family Dog, Merry Prankster's, Timothy Leary and his followers, Bill Graham, the Mime Troupe, artists, poets, publishers, musicians, communes to the north. . .they're all here. The few pictures in this book don't amount to much and appear in other publications, but the writing is so evocative it doesn't matter. Perry's narrative is compelling and easy to read. He takes time to explain the Diggers, for example, and where they fit in as "the conscience" of the Haight. They reappear throughout the story. You'll learn about the rise and fall of light shows at rock concerts and who was creating them and where they fit in. He even manages to effortlessly detail the history of the beautiful newspaper, The San Francisco Oracle, both in form and content. Issue by issue you'll learn how they experimented and learned to publish brilliant artwork and how the purpose of the paper shifted with the scene. After Perry details all of the ingredients that went into the spontaneous cauldron of Haight-Asbury, his narrative picks up speed into a section called, "The Be-In Era", followed by seventy pages titled, "The Deluge". Now the pace quickens with events, conditions, local and national news, deaths, celebrity visitors, heroin, police crack-downs, record deals, predators. . .all begin to fly off the page in a line or short paragraph. It's an effective style to illustrate the rapid disintegration of a beautiful dream. Finally, Perry ends with 50 pages reflecting on "What Was That?" It's an impressive conclusion, interpreting the histories of the various sub-cultures in San Francisco and how they happened to be there. He follows up with a rundown of the positive lasting effects of the era, an update (as of 1984 when it was written) on the destiny of some of the key players, and an homage to the survival--against the odds--of an amazing neighborhood.
Summary of The Haight-Ashbury: A History
2005 marks the 40th anniversary of San Franciscos Haight-Ashbury district. The psychedelic community was probably the most widely written-about phenomenon of the 1960s apart from the Vietnam War. As unexpected as it was inevitable, the whole eventfrom public manifestation to gaudy collapsehappened in less than two years. In this acclaimed, definitive work, Charles Perry examines the history, the drama, and the energy of counter-cultures defining moment. First published by Rolling Stone Press in 1984 and now re-releasedwith a new introduction by the Grateful Deads Bob Weirto time with Haight-Ashburys 40th anniversary, this highly acclaimed work is a must-have for anyone interested in the original sex, drugs, and rock n roll lifestyle.Theory, Composition & Performance Books
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