Customer Reviews

Chicago '68

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

1968 was a key year in history as it marked a reallignment in politics from New Deal Liberalism to Conservatism. Farber's book provides a detalied analysis of all sides involved during this turbulent time. Instead of concentrating solely on the extremist side of protestors, Farber analyzes the views and motives of the police, city, mainstream protestors and the most radical members of the anti-war period. It is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the currents of the 1960's. This book is a must-read for anyone born after this time. You will understand your parents better!

Farber's book deals with the three main forces behind the Chicago protest: the Yippies, the Mobilization, and Mayor Daley and his government. He deals with each separately and provides background of key players and detailed analysis in regards to motivation and the ways in which each acted and reacted. I found the book to be well-balanced overall, giving each group credit and criticism, allowing the reader to make their own judgements. While I found some of the portions dealing with Yippie "philosophy" a bit boring, Farber seems to clearly understand the personalities, forces, and events that made for the events of the summer of 1968 in Chicago.

The only thing better than reading Farber's book is hearing him speak on the Chicago '68 convention -- an easy thing to do with him teaching here at UNM. This book is a great history, written to not be read like a history, but rather a story.

The Democratic Convention in 1968 was held in Chicago ONLY to reward Alvin Wirtz of Texas and Wirtz of the Blackhawks for murdering JFK. This book is written to protect them, and many in the Chicago Police department.

His statistics on Police Commissioner O W Wilson were a complete falsehood, as were many other of his analyses.