Some see the 1980s as a Golden Age, a “Morning in America” when Ronald Reagan revived America’s economy, reoriented American politics, and restored Americans’ faith in their country and in themselves. Others see the 1980s as a new “Gilded Age,” an era that was selfish, superficial, glitzy, greedy, divisive, and destructive. This multifaceted exploration of the 1980s brings together a variety of voices from different political persuasions, generations, and vantage points. The contributors include one of President Reagan’s closest aides (Ed Meese) and a Grammy-award winning record producer. There are Reagan critics and Reagan fans, historians who think the 1980s were a disastrous time, those who think it was a glorious time, and those who see both the blessings and the curses of the decade. The contributors examine everything from multiculturalism, Southern conservatism, and Reaganomics, to music culture, religion, crime, AIDS, and the city. A complex, thoughtful account of a watershed in our recent history, this volume will engage anyone interested in this pivotal decade.
“Living in the Eighties offers a fresh take on this important decade in the recent past.” — Meg Jacobs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
“Living in the Eighties is a lively set of essays that deftly explore cultural as well as political, social, and economic developments in America during the 1980s.” — James Patterson, Brown University