American Hippies

Cambridge Essential Histories

by W.J. Rorabaugh

In the late 1960s and early 1970s hundreds of thousands of white middle-class American youths suddenly became hippies. This short overview of the hippie social movement in the United States examines the movement's beliefs and practices, including psychedelic drugs, casual sex, and rock music, as well as the phenomena of spiritual seeking, hostility to politics, and communes. W. J. Rorabaugh synthesizes how hippies strived for authenticity, expressed individualism, and yearned for community. Viewing the tumultuous Sixties from a new angle, Rorabaugh shows how the counterculture led to subsequent social and cultural changes in the United States with legacies including casual sex, natural foods, and even the personal computer.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2015

Reviews

[Dan Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, compact, and loaded with intriguing insights about the hippie movement. I would have liked additional discussion about the New Left and the difference between apolitical hippies and political student activists, for context. There is more to tell about female hippies and the effects of hippie-dom on LGBT America. Still, Rorabaugh touches on all these points and lays the groundwork for future studies of the movement. The key themes: Individualism, authenticity, and community (if not communal living) were the core of the hippie mentality, with drug culture, free love, and antiauthoritarianism as major supporting elements.

[Craig Werner · Rating 2 out of 5]

The core problem with this book is that its analysis is dependent on a definition of "hippie" that's asserted rather than supported. There's a much larger degree of ambiguity in who was a hippie and what values they embraced than Rorabaugh allows. A good deal of the background history--for example, the discussion of the Fifties background--consists mostly of generalities. Closer to one star than three.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative read. The author was recommended by a respected professor of mine and the writing did not disappoint. I will be reading more of this author’s work.
The American Hippie movement changed culture and society and many different way. Some for the better but most for the worse I’d say. In many ways the 1960’s mark the downfall of the American society, and many of those downfalls are discussed in this book. But it’s important to note the benefits of this movement are touched upon as well, and shouldn’t be overlooked.

[Robbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

Great book about the decade. Went well with a college class on the 1960s. I enjoyed the way Rorabaugh tied the counterculture into today.