1964: Year of Triumph and Tragedy

Amateur historian Brennan looks back on five significant events of 1964 that came to frame popular conceptions of the fractious and transformational 1960s. Together they present a coherent picture of a radically changing America: the rise of Beatlemania, the metamorphosis of Cassius Clay into Muhammed Ali, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the ascendency of Martin Luther King Jr., the Tonkin Gulf resolution and resultant explosion of the Vietnam War, and the Warren Commission Report on the assassination of J.F.K. Brennan presents the details of each of these well-chosen catalytic events in a simple, straightforward manner but without a great deal of political or social commentary. The book stems largely from personal interest, thus there are no new revelations or interpretations of the events covered. Brennan does convey some interesting details, however, exploring the genesis of a number of Beatles songs, faithfully recording the pivotal moments of Ali’s major title fights, and movingly recounting the content and context of M.L.K.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. By tying together each of these cultural watersheds, Brennan offers a representative appraisal of the major forces at work in 1960s America. (Sept.)