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Watching Walter Cronkite: Reflections on Growing Up in the 1950s and 1960s

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No matter what generation you are from, it is easy to find yourself associating with a character in this story. Reliving the same events whether with the same details and environment or transpired to the settings of a different decade, the satire and situations are all experiences we have lived through and can associate with. This is a very moving story effortlessly told through the eyes of the adolescent with the reflections of the adult. It is set in the backdrop of the post WWII era and the turbulent and revolutionary time of the 60's. It was a treat to journey through these times with Ken Kutscher. There are so few books that have the power to transform text into experience, but this is one of them. When reading this book, the words effortlessly vanish replaced by the imagery that Ken Kutscher, MD unobtrusively interweaves. His control of this craft allows one to truly understand these decades, even without first hand experience. I can only imagine the added satisfaction it must be to read this book having lived through these times. This is a great read - one that will make you laugh, bring a tear to your eye, give you goose bumps, feel conflicted, feel angered, feel complete... `and that's how it is.'

Watching Walter Cronkite: Reflections on Growing Up in the 1950s and 1960sI think Dr. Kutscher was my next door neighbor or at least he could have been. His book brought to life so many wonderful and forgotten memories. You always wish you could relive the best times of your life, passing through these pages with Dr. Kutscher you get a chance to do just that. I wonderful book, enjoy and "Let's go Mets" (Please!)

Austin Ken Kutscher conceptualizes exquisitely the conflict that was the United States from commitment to the Vietnam war to the ultimate reconcilliation of the Vietnam wall in Washington, where the names of every American killed in that poor country are recorded. The names are there, but no reason for the war is offered. Sadly, that may be because there is none.

Kutscher saw, and perceived, the climax of 1969 when Nixon was president, when Americans and Vietnamese were dying. Kutscher's climax draws together the rebellion of Americans against the war, the celebration of the Woodstock festival, the baseball triumph of the ultimate underdogs, the New York Mets, and the magnificence of two astronauts, who represented all of humankind, in their landing on the Moon. Walter Cronkite narrated the landing, thus Kutscher's title. Eventually, Cronkite, America's premier journalist, began to question to Vietnam war.

Kutscher's work starts early, with his childhood, introducing the characters who played a role in his life as he advanced through childhood to adulthood, medical school and finally service as mayor of Flemington, his beautiful New Jersey town. He offsets early life in the relatively comfortable circumstances of New Jersey and New York with less option-offering life that his wife-to-be was living. What was so clear to him--the futility of Vietnam--might not have been so evident to a young woman growing up in Virginia and Florida.

Through the book, he contrasts his temporary frustration of being below the standard required to do what, as a teen-ager he longed to do, play baseball, to the recognition of his true talents which led him to be physician and mayor.

To Austin Kutscher's daughter, Jannie, the Vietnam war is what World War II was to him--an event long in the past. His union of the war, Woodstock, the Mets' triumph in 1969, and the Moon landing is telling. In his way, he makes peace with a war long in the past when, as mayor of Flemington, he welcomes the traveling Vietnam wall--and its dismal roll-call of lives wasted. What a young man he tried to stop--absurd slaughter of Vietnamese and Americans--now, as mayor, he can only try to make up for.

Kutscher is telling readers to look not only backward at the absurity of the Vietnam war, but also to the sides, to the Moon landing and the folk triumphs of Woodstock and the Mets. His mother died when he was young, a tragedy from which he has not, and will not, recover fully. Perhaps America has not overcome the tragedy of Vietnam, but America will continue to press forward, as Ken Kutscher did after his mother died. Both he and America were injured by their respective calamities. Both America and Ken Kutscher keep trying.

Ken Kutscher, as cardiologist, has saved lives. He also brought the Vietnam wall to Flemington so that those who died in Vietnam will be recognized. He has done what he can do. His is a story worth reading.

Having grown up during the 60s, I thought this book would be a wonderful blast back. Instead, I spent my time shaking my head at page after page of glaring errors. (Just a few examples: the officer killed the same day as JFK was Tippit, not Trippet. The TV show was "Gidget", not "Gadget", and the actress playing Gidget was Sally Field, not Sally Fields. The songs were "Walk Away Renee" and "MacArthur Park", not "Don't Walk Away, Renee" and "MacArthur's Park".) There were so many errors I found it hard to believe that the author had actually grown up in the 60s. How can he talk about "The Brady Bunch" in 1966, when it didn't make its appearance until 1969?! I could go on and on citing examples, but after so many of these inaccuracies, suffice it to say that the book lost all its credibility for me, and who knows how many other errors I didn't even spot because I quit reading.

Ken's writing style is truly unique and captivated me instantly. I found myself feeling anxious about getting to the next page..always the sign of a great book in your hands. He cleverly associated the past with the present, often reflecting on situations with his daughter and using them as an opportunity to link generations together that seemed to have not much in common upon first glance. It is a smart and fascinating perspective on history, told with humor and such raw emotion it literally altered my way of thinking about some very important things in life! There is something timeless about it that makes it relevant to anyone and everyone!

Watching Walter Cronkite was a very interesting period piece and glimpse into the psyche of Austin Ken Kutscher. Given the great detail and descriptive nature of his writing style, I could easily see this book assimilated into a motion picture. I was quickly addicted to this book and committed to seeing where the story went and how the characters grew and developed.

Walter Cronkite was the icon of a generation, but today's youths don't really know who he is or what he reported on. "Watching Walter Cronkite: Reflections on Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s" reflects on this bygone era, aimed at younger readers who do not know what it was like growing up in this era full of hippies, the Vietnam War, and Civil Rights issues. Trying to inspire the spirit of the era using his own life as a vehicle, Dr. Austin Ken Kutscher does well in his goal. "Watching Walter Cronkite" is a nostalgic and informative read of one of America's more tumultuous eras.