The Shook-Up Generation

by Harrison E. Salisbury

Non-fiction book about juvenile delinquency and teen-age gangs by a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Harrison E. Salisbury was a long time reporter and editor at The New York Times. Earlier in his career he had worked for the United Press, which he joined after earning a B.A. at the University of Minnesota in 1930. He began his career in journalism as a part-time reporter for the Minneapolis Journal during 1928-29. Although he served in many different positions and places during his long career at the Times, Mr. Salisbury is perhaps most famous for his work as Moscow correspondent, covering the U.S.S.R. during the early years of the Cold War. After serving as the Times' Moscow Bureau Chief from 1949 to 1954, he returned to the U.S. and wrote a series of articles for which he won a Pulitzer Prize in 1955. He spent a great deal of time concentrating on Asia during his later years at the Times, covering the Vietnam War as well as many different issues and events having to do with China.

Reviews

[Stesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d been meaning to read this for awhile, wanting some insight into the question of juvenile delinquency in the 1950s. I was actually quite surprised by Mr. Salisbury’s book. I know he won a Pulitzer for his work reporting about what was going on in Russia, but I was still surprised by how he approached the subject of teen crime. Going into the neighborhoods in Brooklyn, he befriended some of these kids, earned their trust and learned their stories. What he presents is a very level telling of the problem, without resorting to too much hyperbole, outside the use of the term “shook-up” to describe this generation of kids. He talked to youth street workers, cops, clergy, and educators and cones away feeling that everyone wants what’s best for the kids and the community, but poor civic planning, bureaucracy, and the break down of the family are working against them. He does bring up the moving in of large numbers of southern blacks and Puerto Rican’s into New York, and the sudden shifting of neighborhoods from one ethnic group to another, as one of the problems, but he seemed more interested in finding ways to help the newcomers acclimate and find their piece in the city than laying blame on their sheer existence. I did have to chuckle, however, at the end, when he reminds us how much more advanced the Soviets seemed to be and what a waste of young minds our JD problem is and we’ll be needing everyone to join in in the battle against the commies!

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadly, this 60 year old book on inner-city gang violence is still all to relevant today. A hauntingly predictive study of the roots of the police-community relationship (or lack thereof) issues we are seeing today. An uncomfortably accurate condemnation of societies failure to our underprivileged children.

[gadabout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simultaneously timeless and incredibly dated (as well as peppered with the bigotry of the time), and yet supremely captivating regardless. The writing style is a breath of fresh air in a sea of dryness, the argument is both dense and powerful, and the content within is a fascinating snapshot of the past.

The issue of shook-up kids is no new one, much less one limited to a single generation, but the source Salisbury tracks it down to holds true.
It all starts in and around the home.