What do you think?
Rate this book
The Golden Dream: Suburbia in the 1970s
Charming, gossipy and endlessly entertaining, The Golden Dream is a critical glimpse inside 1970s America’s most exclusive suburbs.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1978
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 22, 2025
Different World
I grew up in the 70's and so I was drawn to the book because I felt it would be very familiar in some ways at least. However the big thing I found comparable to my own experience was the proliferation of malls and the desire for the "American Dream" which was to own a home in the suburbs and work, shop, catch a movie etc in the city. But that is where the similarities ended between what was either lived experience in my family growing up or, something I'd heard or witnessed happening around me.
This book describes the lifestyles of people living in several U.S states who relocated to suburban living, sometimes having homes built and other times, handed down through inheritance after having been in the family for a couple of generations.
Although I found it somewhat interesting I also noted that almost everyone discussed in the book were upper class, wealthy and thought nothing of having a custom designed home with an in-ground pool, tennis court perhaps, hired help, BMW in the driveway, children in private schools and membership to an exclusive country club. Not at ALL the reality of most people that I know and to be honest, I'm GLAD! Why? Because even though having wealth and all the trappings of wealth would have been nice in some ways, I have never been a person who felt the need to flaunt possessions or money, or to think that made me better than anyone else. I could care less whether my neighbors polish their exterior doorknobs or match their curtains to the style of the neighborhood to fit in and perhaps be sponsored to join a club. I'd much rather be genuine and liked or disliked based on who I am as a person, how I treat people, children, elders, animals and people of different races. If I'm going to be judged, let it be on something that matters! Am I a responsible and honest person? Can I be counted on? Am I a nice person to be around? Do I help others if I can? Am I polite and kind?
The other thing very noticeable in this book is the "name-dropping." Rockefellers, Armour family, Marriott family, Lazarus family etc. I would have found it more relevant if it had been about the experiences of everyday families as they went from city living to suburbs and the difference in experience, education, cost of living, and general quality of life!
I grew up in the 70's and so I was drawn to the book because I felt it would be very familiar in some ways at least. However the big thing I found comparable to my own experience was the proliferation of malls and the desire for the "American Dream" which was to own a home in the suburbs and work, shop, catch a movie etc in the city. But that is where the similarities ended between what was either lived experience in my family growing up or, something I'd heard or witnessed happening around me.
This book describes the lifestyles of people living in several U.S states who relocated to suburban living, sometimes having homes built and other times, handed down through inheritance after having been in the family for a couple of generations.
Although I found it somewhat interesting I also noted that almost everyone discussed in the book were upper class, wealthy and thought nothing of having a custom designed home with an in-ground pool, tennis court perhaps, hired help, BMW in the driveway, children in private schools and membership to an exclusive country club. Not at ALL the reality of most people that I know and to be honest, I'm GLAD! Why? Because even though having wealth and all the trappings of wealth would have been nice in some ways, I have never been a person who felt the need to flaunt possessions or money, or to think that made me better than anyone else. I could care less whether my neighbors polish their exterior doorknobs or match their curtains to the style of the neighborhood to fit in and perhaps be sponsored to join a club. I'd much rather be genuine and liked or disliked based on who I am as a person, how I treat people, children, elders, animals and people of different races. If I'm going to be judged, let it be on something that matters! Am I a responsible and honest person? Can I be counted on? Am I a nice person to be around? Do I help others if I can? Am I polite and kind?
The other thing very noticeable in this book is the "name-dropping." Rockefellers, Armour family, Marriott family, Lazarus family etc. I would have found it more relevant if it had been about the experiences of everyday families as they went from city living to suburbs and the difference in experience, education, cost of living, and general quality of life!
June 18, 2020
Enjoyable if not quite what I expected—author Stephen Birmingham made his career chronicling the foibles of the rich and filthy-rich, so it’s no big surprise that this book is light on sociology and heavy on gossipy intrigue. Most of the chapters are deep-dives into specific high-end communities and how the wealthy dealt with bringing their old-style prejudices from the cities to the 'burbs. P.S. Birmingham’s depiction of 1970s Scottsdale, Arizona as a stifling desert bastion of white-bread patriotism barely resembles the understated little town I experienced as a child.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews