Hal Lifson's 1966! [Paperback]

Hal Lifson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 17, 2003

An awsome collection of memorabilia from 1966. Beautifully photographed with commentary.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An undeniably lively tour of the not-so-long-ago." -- Hartford (CT) Courant

"In an awesome collection of memorabilia, Hal Lifson....remains a virtual encyclopedia of '60s trivia." -- Publishers Weekly Online, December 30, 2002

"Lifson packed his book with pictures and graphics, and kept the writing short and sweet." -- The Citizen-Times (Asheville, NC), January 17, 2003

"[Hal Lifson] identifies not only a definitive phenomenon but tracks it across all entertainment fields." -- Daily Breeze (Orange County, CA), December 20, 2002

A "mind-boggling collection of visual trivia, from Sno Cones and Goofy Grape drink packets to Sting-Ray bikes and Gumby flexes." -- Billboard magazine, February 5, 2003

An awesome collection of memorabilia... brings to life the sights, sounds, fads and fun of that memorable year. -- Publisher's Weekly, December 30, 2002

About the Author

Hal Lifson was born at the very beginning of his favorite decade—July 16, 1960—and was raised in the Los Angeles suburb of Encino. By 1966, he had already developed an earnest love for the popular culture of the time. Years later, when Hal attended the University of California at Berkeley, his senior thesis explored how the television programs of the ’60s mirrored the events of the era.

After graduating in 1983, Hal translated his passion for the ’60s into a professional career. He has spent nearly two decades in the fields of entertainment and advertising as a creative director and writer, and as publicist/personal manager for some of the biggest ’60s stars, including Raquel Welch, Adam West, and Nancy Sinatra. He was the man behind Nancy’s amazing 1995 comeback.

In 1999, Hal started the first "all ’60s" radio show, Radio A Go-Go!, which aired for two years on KRLA-AM in Los Angeles. Hal would feature many rare ’60s records that had not been played on the radio in decades, and provide off-the-cuff commentary on both the music and the culture of the decade. His show won many fans and critical raves.

Today, Hal remains ensconced near his childhood home in the San Fernando Valley, where he still rides his lime green Schwinn Sting-Ray around the block every now and then.

Product Details

• Paperback: 190 pages
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing (November 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566251826
• ISBN-13: 978-1566251822
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #645,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Picks up where Populuxe left off, April 16, 2003

By 

Thomas Lundin (Lakeville, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hal Lifson's 1966! (Paperback)

OK, pop culture aficionados -- if you've read _Populuxe_ by Thomas Hine, you've got the background for _Hal Lifson's 1966!_.

Whereas Hine's treatment of pop culture in the years leading up to the mid-sixties is more educational, Lifson chooses to present a photo album of sorts, with hundreds of pictures from the TV shows, movies, toys, games, comics, snacks, places and cultural bric-a-brac that were part of the background of life in 1966.

Lifson annotates many of these images with personal remembrances and anecdotes that help to put them in some cultural context, and there are interesting bits of trivia sprinkled throughout. But don't expect much deep information here -- most of the text is in the vein of "here's what I remember about this." As a result, some things that you might recall as personally significant get short shrift. But hey, it's not meant to be a comprehensive essay.

Still, this wonderful visual record will strike a chord with anyone who is old enough to have memories going back that far. You're sure to recognize something that defined the mid-sixties for you, as well as spot fun stuff that will make you say, "Oh yeah...I forgot all about that!" Close your eyes and breathe in -- you can almost smell the Gumby rubber. Sometimes a good nostalgia book works by just evoking those memories.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book About My Favorite Year, March 5, 2003

By 

Danny Biederman (Los Angeles, CA.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hal Lifson's 1966! (Paperback)

Thank you, Hal Lifson, for putting together a truly fabulous book about one of the best years ever, 1966. I have to admit that 1965 and 1967 were pretty cool, but '66 may actually have been the best--in my lifetime, anyway. Hal's book truly captures the flavor of popular culture of that very special time--the music, the TV shows, the movies, the ads, the toys, you name it. For me, '66 was James Bond ("Thunderball"), "T.H.E. Cat," "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," "I Spy," "Get Smart," "Wild Wild West," "Mission: Impossible," Agent Zero M, the Beatles. It was simply the coolest time to be alive. Hal, who clearly was alive during those 12 months, does a marvelous job of taking us down memory lane in this terrific little book. It's filled with great photos and a quaintly personal account of all the great things that went on 37 years ago. For anyone who was there, I highly recommend you order this book as a means of flashing back to that fabulous time. You'll be glad you did!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Time Machine, June 12, 2003

By 

David Macy Cohen (Monrovia, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hal Lifson's 1966! (Paperback)

"Hal Lifson's 1966" is, indeed, the ultimate time machine. It works on two distinct levels. First, having lived in the San Fernando Valley during that period, I found the book to be the most delightful, teary-eyed journey back to the old stomping grounds...who says you can't go back home?! To see a picture of the old Encino Bowl...the last time I even thought about it was when I was sneaking a smoke in the parking lot on the way back from ELEMENTARY school! Second, and more important (yes, important), "Hal Lifson's 1966" captures the innocence of the period...perhaps the last innocence the country enjoyed before it was forced to grow up during the Watergate hearings. Indeed, the lack of any political references keeps the journey a magical mystery tour. Honey West, Catwoman, NANCY SINATRA...many a 13-year-old boy lost his innocence "appreciating" these classically sexy women. Thanks, Hal.