The Big Book of the 70's [Paperback]

Jonathan Vankin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2000 | Series: Big Book of

Back when irony was just a literary device and people wore bell-bottomsfor their own sake, Western civilization reached its zenith and nadirsimultaneously. Jonathan Vankin's Big Book of the '70s looks insurprising depth at the trends and the notable figures of that decade, usingillustrations from dozens of excellent comics artists like Shary Flenniken andTerry Laban. Richard Nixon, Jane Fonda, Burt Reynolds, and Jimmy Carter all getthe Big Book treatment in a delicious combination of behind-the-scenespeeks and easily digested history lessons. Fads and phenomena like disco,running, and the rise of the women's movement are also explained and, in somecases, followed up through modern times. The writing is clear and snappy, theillustration is consistently well-done, and the topics chosen are a thorough,comprehensive mix of lightweight (pet rocks) and serious (Vietnam). --RobLightner

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Back when irony was just a literary device and people wore bell-bottoms for their own sake, Western civilization reached its zenith and nadir simultaneously. Jonathan Vankin's Big Book of the '70s looks in surprising depth at the trends and the notable figures of that decade, using illustrations from dozens of excellent comics artists like Shary Flenniken and Terry Laban. Richard Nixon, Jane Fonda, Burt Reynolds, and Jimmy Carter all get the Big Book treatment in a delicious combination of behind-the-scenes peeks and easily digested history lessons. Fads and phenomena like disco, running, and the rise of the women's movement are also explained and, in some cases, followed up through modern times. The writing is clear and snappy, the illustration is consistently well-done, and the topics chosen are a thorough, comprehensive mix of lightweight (pet rocks) and serious (Vietnam). --Rob Lightner

From Library Journal

This mild nostalgia piece takes on the 1970s, continuing the progression of Paradox Press!s Big Book series. Vankin (Conspiracies Cover-Ups and Crimes; The Big Book of Bad) divides the book into four parts: Freaky Fads, The Players, And That!s the Way It Was, and Entertainment Explosion. Each section is further divided into several subsections, with entries on topics such as kung fu, John Lennon, energy crisis, and Sesame Street. Most entries are a few pages long, giving the reader a flavor for the personality or topic but not a great deal of depth. The artwork is primarily playful but in some instances serious; in each case, the art supports the text nicely. There isn!t enough substance here for serious investigation of the 1970s, for the observational pieces are brief and the insights revealed in these sketches are small. Recommended for large public libraries, and academic libraries where cartooning studies are offered."Stephen Weiner, Maynard P.L., MA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563896710
• ISBN-13: 978-1563896712
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #765,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner from Factoid!!!, September 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Big Book of the 70's (Paperback)

I love the "Big Book" series, and this entry is no exception. It's a cultural history text for the discerning hipster. More than just a review of the Me Decade's fads, it examines the 1970's biggest news stories and most notorious personalities. The artwork, produced by dozens of comicdom's most talented pencilers, ranges from cartoony to photorealistic. But don't let the term "comicbook" throw you. Lots of informative, entertaining historical research is here. Learn more about what the Seventies were like, or reminisce about how much cooler things were back then.(Yeah, right.)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The '70s Are Back, Man!, November 18, 2000

By 

Jeffrey Plotkin - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Big Book of the 70's (Paperback)

This is the latest volume in Paradox Press' excellent Big Books series. It proves to be another winner! It chronicles the Me Decade, and analyzes how it affects society as we know it in this decade. It covers a lot of the wacky memories, like pet rocks, mood rings, and the fashions, plus some of the not-so-wacky memories, like the gasoline shortage and the Iranian hostage crisis. As someone born in the 1970s, I truly enjoyed this. But you don't have to be a child of the '70s to like it too!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner from Factoid!!!, September 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Big Book of the 70's (Paperback)

I love the "Big Book" series, and this entry is no exception. It's a cultural history text for the discerning hipster. More than just a review of the Me Decade's fads, it examines the 1970's biggest news stories and most notorious personalities. The artwork, produced by dozens of comicdom's most talented pencilers, ranges from cartoony to photorealistic. But don't let the term "comicbook" throw you. Lots of informative, entertaining historical research is here. Learn more about what the Seventies were like, or reminisce about how much cooler things were back then.(Yeah, right.)